Israel: Gantz holds lead over Netanyahu

The National Unity party, headed by MK Benny Gantz, would earn 27 seats if elections were held today, while the Likud Party headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would earn 26 seats, according to a new poll published by Maariv on Friday.

The poll additionally found that Yesh Atid would earn 19 seats, Shas would earn nine seats, the United Torah Judaism party would earn seven seats, Meretz, Hadash-Ta'al and Yisrael Beytenu would each earn six seats, the Religious Zionist Party and Otzma Yehudit would each earn five seats and Ra'am would earn four seats. The Labor Party would no pass the electoral threshold.

The poll results leave the current opposition with 68 seats (although Hadash-Ta'al does not traditionally sit in coalitions and is usually counted as its own bloc in polls) and the current coalition with 52 seats.

Earlier this week, a poll by N12 found that the National Unity party would earn 28 seats, while the Likud would earn 24 seats.

The poll also found that Yesh Atid would earn 20 seats, the Religious Zionist party and Otzma Yehudit would earn 11 seats, Shas would earn 10 seats, the United Torah Judaism party would earn seven seats and Yisrael Beytenu, Hadash-Ta'al, Meretz and Ra'am would earn five seats each.

Additionally, a poll by Channel 14 this week found that the Likud would earn 30 seats, the National Unity party would earn 29 seats, Yesh Atid would earn 14 seats, Shas would earn 10 seats, the United Torah Judaism party would earn eight seats, Yisrael Beytenu would earn six seats, the Religious Zionist party, Ra'am and Hadash-Ta'al would earn five seats each and Otzma Yehudit and Meretz would earn four seats each.

The Channel 14 poll left the current coalition with 57 seats and the current opposition with 63 seats.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, elections, poll,