Poll: Slight Boost for Likud, Bayit Yehudi

A poll taken following the resumption of diplomatic talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority has found that the Likud-Beytenu party is enjoying a slight boost in popularity - despite the fact that most Likud supporters say PA Chairman Abbas does not truly want peace.

If elections were held today, Likud Beytenu would receive 33 seats instead of its current 31, according to the survey, which was conducted by Rafi Smith on behalf of Globes.

The Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home) faction enjoyed a modest boost in popularity as well, predicting that support for the party now stands at 13 seats’ worth of votes, compared to its current 12 seats in Knesset.

Left-wing parties benefited as well: the Labor party earned 18 seats’ worth of support in the poll, compared to its current 15 seats in Knesset, and the Meretz faction was predicted to get 10 seats in place of its current six.

The losers in the poll were Kadima, which got zero seats’ worth of support in the polls, and Yesh Atid, which was predicted to lose five seats.

Among Likud supporters, 70% said they believe that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu wants to reach a peace deal with the Palestinian Authority. However, just 27% said they believe he will be able to do so.

Most Likud supporters – 71% - said they believe that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas does not want to reach a peace agreement with Israel.

Overall, 76% of Israelis who described their political views as right-wing expressed doubt that Abbas genuinely wants peace.