Poll: Israeli PM Netanyahu Boosted by Firm Position on Iran Nuclear Deal
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by Joshua Levitt
PM Netanyahu speaks at Israel's Remembrance Day Memorial. Photo: Channel 10.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s firm stance on the recent Iranian nuclear deal has boosted his governing Likud-Beitenu coalition in a new poll, Israel’s Globes business daily reported.
PM Netanyahu speaks at Israel's Remembrance Day Memorial. Photo: Channel 10.
Netenyahu’s support is at its highest level since the January elections, with a projected 37 Knesset seats, if elections were held today, according to the Globes-Smith Institute poll for November. The Likud-Beitenu coalition would have gained three seats compared with the previous poll in October, and six seats compared with its showing in the elections, Globes said.
“When Israel faces a security or sensitive diplomatic crisis, the public rallies around Netanyahu, who is perceived as authoritative, and the only man who can deal with Iran, regardless of whether the public agrees with him or not. The public will also stand by the prime minister against rivals,” Globes wrote.
The Labor Party, which named MK Isaac Herzog as chairman, replacing MK Shelly Yachimovich, in November, also increased its standings in the poll, with a projected 19 Knesset seats, up from 17 seats in October.
Yesh Atid, the party of Minister of Finance Yair Lapid, a popular former newscaster and son of a politician, was seen weakening, with the poll suggesting the party would win only 11 Knesset seats in an election today, down from 12 seats in October, and 19 seats in the actual elections in January.
Of the other parties, Habayit Hayehudi was seen with 12 Knesset seats in the November poll, down from 13 in October; Shas at 10 seats, down from 12; Meretz at nine, down from 11; and United Torah Judaism at eight, up from seven in October.
