Israeli media's polling obscures the majority opposed to Netanyahu - opinion
The public is being told that Netanyahu is leading. How does this happen? Quite simply, the political blocs are being counted in a way that serves him.
Israeli media reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc has overtaken Gadi Eisenkot's bloc in recent polls. However, a closer look at the data reveals that this may be misleading. In fact, when considering all parties opposed to Netanyahu's continued rule, including the right-wing and haredi (ultra-Orthodox) bloc, the total reaches about 67 seats – a solid parliamentary majority, six seats above the threshold required for a governing coalition.
This situation is unprecedented in Israel's modern political era, as it would have been described as a defeat for the prime minister just two weeks before an election. The discrepancy arises because opposition parties are being counted in a way that serves Netanyahu. Parties not considered natural coalition partners, such as those opposing him due to ideological disagreements or because they prefer a national unity government, are excluded from the change bloc.
Consequently, the public is given a false impression of a close race or even a right-wing advantage. This approach to counting political blocs has become a powerful political tool in Netanyahu's hands. Three factors contribute to this misleading portrayal: the Reservists party, the Arab parties, and Ofer Winter's new party. The Reservists party, which receives four seats in some polls, is excluded from the opposition bloc because its leaders favor a national unity government.
However, their stance on key issues, such as the judicial overhaul and equality in military service, aligns more closely with the camp seeking to replace Netanyahu than with Netanyahu's alliance. Similarly, the Arab parties, despite their ideological differences, have been excluded from the opposition bloc due to Netanyahu's efforts to portray their votes as less significant in determining election outcomes.
For example, in 1992, Labor and Meretz won 56 seats, while Hadash and the Arab Democratic Party provided Yitzhak Rabin's camp with a parliamentary majority of 61. When it comes to the newly formed party led by Brig.-Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter, his recommendation to the president adds another layer of complexity to the situation.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
