{
  "id": 15740739,
  "title": "Eisenkot extends lead over Netanyahu in new poll, but neither bloc reaches majority",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/eisenkot-extends-lead-over-netanyahu-in-new-poll-but-neither-bloc",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-20T12:20:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-912291"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "According to a recent Walla poll, Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party and Naftali Bennett's B Yachad party have extended their lead over Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud in the upcoming Knesset election. The poll, conducted on Monday, reveals that Yashar has gained four seats, reaching 23, while Likud has dropped to 19. B Yachad has also gained one seat, reaching 14.\n\nIn addition to the parties' seat changes, the poll highlights that neither bloc has reached the majority threshold required to form a government. Netanyahu's coalition bloc has decreased from 49 to 48 seats, while opposition parties remain at 54. This situation means that the opposition will need additional partners to secure the necessary 61-seat majority.\n\nThe poll also examines the confidence of voters in their decisions. A majority of respondents, 45%, expressed complete certainty in their voting choice, while another 49% were fairly certain. However, certainty varied among different parties, with Joint List voters being the most confident at 81%, followed by Likud voters at 68%.\n\nWhen considering support for a specific political bloc, 54% of coalition voters were completely certain of their choice, compared to 35% of opposition voters. The poll was conducted on October 19, 2026, using an online respondent panel of 601 participants representing Israel's adult population.",
  "summary": "Eisenkot's Yashar widened its lead over Netanyahu's Likud to four seats, while Bennett's B'Yachad also gained ground, according to a new Walla election poll following Gantz stepping out of the race.",
  "key_points": [
    "Yashar party leads with 23 seats, up from 19",
    "Likud drops to 19 seats, down from 49",
    "No bloc reaches 61-seat majority needed for government"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The growing gap between the opposition and the Likud party forces a fragmented political landscape where no single bloc can govern without securing new coalition partners.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}