Benjamin Netanyahu Polls Below Majority Ahead of October Elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is struggling to maintain a governing majority ahead of the Knesset elections scheduled for October 27. Recent polling by the Israeli public broadcaster shows Netanyahu's bloc would secure 52 seats, falling short of the 61 required to form a government. The non-Arab opposition is projected to win 55 seats, while Arab lawmakers are expected to take 13.

Netanyahu's Likud party currently polls at 21 seats, trailing the Yashar party led by former army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, which has risen to 24 seats. To counter this decline, Netanyahu is attempting to consolidate small right-wing parties to prevent them from falling below the electoral threshold, though efforts to merge the Jewish Power and Religious Zionism parties have not yet succeeded.

The Prime Minister is navigating these political challenges while facing domestic corruption charges and an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Netanyahu has criticized the opposition, claiming they intend to end conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran while supporting the creation of a Palestinian state.