A survey by Dr. Mina Tzemach and Mano Geva for Yedioth Ahronoth shows the strengthening of Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman and United Torah Judaism. Likud, Kahlon, Shas and the Zionist Camp (Labor) lose seats.
Dr. Mina Tzemach is a renowned expert in conducting public opinion polls, and has been one of the key Israeli pollsters since the field began to flourish in Israel, in the late 1960s.
The survey, carried out by the Midgam Institute, shows that if the Knesset elections were held today, Likud would receive 25 seats, down five seats from its current position.
Yair lapid’s Yesh Atid party leaps back to its former strength in this survey, to win 18 seats, seven more than it received in the last election.
The Zionist Camp (formerly Labor) headed by MK Yitzhak Herzog, suffers a body blow to fall down to 18 seats — six fewer than its historic, 24-seat win in the last elections.
The Joint Arab List holds on to its 13 seats.
Bayit Yehudi under Minister Naftali Bennett climbs up to 12 seats, four more than it currently has.
Avigdor Lieberman’s Israel Beiteinu party improves its position to 8 seats, up from 6.
United Torah Judaism gets seven seats — one more than it currently holds.
Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon’s Kulanu experiences what normally happens to newcomer center parties in their second term, dropping from 10 seats to 7.
Shas declines in the survey from 7 to 6 seats.
Meretz holds on to its five seats.
The survey also examines the possibility of former Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar (Likud) joining forces with Moshe Kahlon, aiming for those elusive, golden center voters. According to the survey, such a move would yield Sa’ar and Kahlon 12 seats, and give Likud 21 seats, Lapid 18, Zionist Camp 18, Joint Arab List 13, Bayit Yehudi 11, Lieberman 8, United Torah Judaism 7, Shas 6, and Meretz 6.
