The Lazar Research Institute on Friday published a poll indicating that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has significantly reduced the gap between himself and Minister Benny Gantz (National Unity) regarding which of them is the best candidate for the position of prime minister.
The poll, conducted for Maariv, showed that 42% of respondents see Gantz as the best option, compared to 37% who supported Netanyahu. Another 21% said that they do not know who the best candidate is.
Meanwhile, the National Unity party continues losing support: If elections were held today, National Unity would win 31 Knesset seats, followed by the Likud with 21, Yesh Atid with 13, and Yisrael Beytenu with 12.
Sephardic-haredi Shas is projected to win nine Knesset seats, as is Otzma Yehudit. Ashkenazic-haredi United Torah Judaism is expected to win seven seats.
The Arab parties, Hadash-Ta'al and Ra'am (United Arab List) are expected to win five seats each, while Religious Zionism and Meretz are expected to win four seats each.
The new right-wing party led by MK Gideon Sa'ar would not pass the electoral threshold.
Divided into blocs, the current coalition parties would win 50 Knesset seats, while the opposition (including National Unity, which has joined an emergency government for the duration of the war) is expected to win 60 seats, and the Arab parties 10 seats.