Trump's Peace Plan Doesn't Bolster Netanyahu's Likud, Election Polls Show

Gantz's Kahol Lavan is predicted to garner 35 seats, while Netanyahu's Likud is projected 33-34 seats, with Lieberman remaining kingmaker with eight seats - as both blocs remain deadlocked as in the last round

Haaretz

Jan 29, 2020

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U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu take part in an announcement of Trump's peace plan at the White House in Washington, January 28, 2020. Credit: AFP

Haaretz

Jan 29, 2020

The unveiling of U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan on Tuesday hasn't changed the number of Knesset seats each political bloc will gain, polls published Wednesday ahead of Israel's March 2 election show.

According to the polls, the right and left-wing blocs are projected 55-57 seats, while Yisrael Beiteinu's Avigdor Lieberman remains the kingmaker with eight seats.

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According to Channel 12 News, 50 percent of respondents said they support Trump's so-called "Deal of the Century," which includes annexing Jewish settlements, while 24 percent opposed the deal and 16 percent said they haven’t formed an opinion on the issue. Ten percent said they haven't heard about the initiative.

Meanwhile, 51 percent of those surveyed said they support annexing the settlements, 26 percent opposed it and 23 percent said they "don't know," the poll conducted by Channel 13 News showed.

Benny Gantz's Kahol Lavan is predicted to garner 35 seats, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud is projected at 33-34 seats.

The Joint List, an alliance of four Israeli Arab parties remains the third biggest slate with 12-13 seats, while left-wing slate Labor-Gesher-Meretz, which announced its merger in January, is expected to receive eight to ten seats.

Ultra-Orthodox party Shas is predicted 7-8 seats, while the United Torah Judaism is expected to earn seven seats in both polls.

Far-right slate Yamina led by Defense Minister Naftali Bennett is predicted 7-8 seats, while Kahanist party Otzma Yehudit fails to pass the 3.25-percent electoral threshold, and according to both polls will remain outside the Knesset.

Hours before the deadline to register final rosters earlier this month, right-wing leader Rafi Peretz dismantled a short-lived alliance with Otzma Yehudit to join a broad alliance in the Yamina slate.