Zionist Union Maintains Lead of 2 - 4 Seats Over Likud in Final Polls

The latest election polls, published on Thursday and Friday, showed the Zionist Union of Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni maintaining its lead of between two and four seats over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party.

In the Yedioth Ahronoth poll, published on Friday morning, Zionist Union had a lead of four seats over Likud – 26 to 22. The Maariv poll showed the same gap but different tallies – Zionist Union with 25 seats against the Likud with 21.

The gap between the two main parties in the poll conducted by the second radio channel was identical to that of Maariv, while Walla! website published a poll in which the gap was only two seats – 25 for Zionist Union against 23 for Likud.

In polls published on Thursday, Globes had Zionist Union leading Likud by 24 seats to 20, while the first radio channel had Zionist Union leading by three seats – 25 to 22.

By law, no polls can be published after Friday.

In the Yedioth Ahronoth poll, the Joint List (a slate of primarily Arab parties) came in third with 13 seats, followed by Habayit Hayehudi and Yesh Atid. each with 12 seats, Kulanu with eight seats, Shas with seven seats, United Torah Judaism with six seats, Yisrael Beiteinu and Meretz, each with five seats, and Yahad failing to meet the minimum entry level with four seats.

The Maariv poll gave 13 seats to both the Joint List and Yesh Atid, with Habayit Hayehudi following with 11 seats, Kulanu with 10 seats, Shas with seven, UTJ with six, Meretz and Yahad with five each and Yisrael Beiteinu failing to meet the mark with four.

The latest Haaretz poll, which was published on Thursday, gave 24 seats to Zionist Union and 21 to Likud. They were followed by the Joint list with 13 seats, Yesh Atid with 12 seats, Habayit Hayehudi and Kulanu with 11 seats each, Shas with seven seats, UTJ and Meretz with six apiece, Yahad with five seats and Yisrael Beiteinu with four seats.