A recent Kan election poll published on Sunday indicates that Ofer Winter’s People of Israel party and Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party have surpassed the electoral threshold, gaining votes at the expense of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and Itamar Ben‑Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit.
This poll, Kan’s inaugural survey following the reunification of the Joint List, reveals the Joint List surpassing Otzma Yehudit in projected Knesset seats.
The survey shows Likud declining by one seat from the previous poll, now at 21 seats, and down three seats since the start of the month. Otzma Yehudit likewise slipped to seven seats.
Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party and Naftali Bennett’s Together party held steady, each securing 24 and 21 seats.
In the opposition bloc, Yair Golan’s Democrats party and Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beytenu each lost a seat, dropping to nine and eight respectively.
The bloc breakdown indicates the opposition bloc fell from 57 to 55 seats, while the coalition bloc rose modestly from 51 to 52 seats. Arab parties are projected to increase their representation to 13 seats.
Netanyahu maintains a modest lead over Bennett regarding suitability to serve as prime minister, with 37% selecting him versus 36% for Bennett. However, Eisenkot outpaces Netanyahu on the same question, 40% to 37%.
Kan News polls right-wing mergers
The Kan News poll also analyzed potential right‑wing mergers. A merger between Smotrich and Ben‑Gvir, endorsed by 57% of coalition voters, would actually reduce their combined support to 10 seats, compared with 12 seats if they contested separately. In that case, Winter’s party would rise to five seats.
If Smotrich were to unite with Moshe Feiglin’s party, Religious Zionism would rise to seven seats, tying Ben‑Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit and eroding Winter’s support below the electoral threshold. Across all scenarios, parties led by Benny Gantz, Gilad Erdan, and Matan Kahana are unlikely to surpass the threshold.
The poll also gauged public opinion on security arrangements for political figures. Forty‑one percent of respondents favored Shin Bet protection for Eisenkot, while 29% opposed it. For Yair Golan, the response was reversed: 43% opposed and 30% supported.
Netanyahu addressed right-wing bloc challenges on Channel 14’s ‘The Patriots’
During an interview on Channel 14’s The Patriots program on Sunday evening, Netanyahu discussed the challenges confronting the right‑wing bloc and the contest for right‑wing votes, noting divisions between Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionism as well as the challenge presented by Winter’s People of Israel party.
Netanyahu criticized Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben‑Gvir’s opposition to a merger with Religious Zionism chairman Bezalel Smotrich, saying, “He is angry; I do not understand why. When Smotrich was at a high point and then low, Ben‑Gvir urged him to set aside his ego and unite, and Smotrich acted responsibly. Now Ben‑Gvir must do the responsible thing.”
He urged the two parties to merge, noting there is about a week to finalize the union, and suggesting it is entirely possible that all can come together.
Netanyahu also addressed Winter’s party, expressing concern that its independent candidacy could damage the right‑wing bloc.
He warned that the People of Israel party could either waste votes or cause one of the parties mentioned to fall,” Netanyahu said.
Winter responds to Netanyahu
In response to Netanyahu’s remarks, Winter rejected claims that his party threatens the right‑wing bloc, asserting that other issues pose greater danger.
Winter said that what endangers the right‑wing camp and the entire people of Israel are kites from Gaza, the influx of aid trucks into Gaza, Hamas’s Nukhba forces, and the failure to enlist haredim into the IDF — all of which constitute threats to Israel.
He added that there is only one real possibility for change in the right‑wing camp and overall: new leaders, not those responsible for the October 7 failures, and that his party is “part of the right‑wing camp, but we work for no one but the people of Israel.”
