Symbolic imageIsrael's race stays tight as Trump backs Netanyahu and Vance holds back
A week before the 27 October election, a Walla poll shows neither bloc near a majority after Benny Gantz quit the race. Trump endorsed Netanyahu, but Vice President Vance would not.
Walla's poll, taken on Monday, 19 October, puts Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar at 23 seats and Netanyahu's Likud at 19, with Naftali Bennett's B'Yachad at 14. Netanyahu's coalition bloc would win 48 seats and the opposition 54, both short of the 61 needed. With a sampling error of 4%, single-seat shifts are uncertain.
Washington splits
Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Saturday, calling him a "great warrior prime minister". On Monday Vance said he was neither for nor against it, would "not get involved in Israeli elections" and was focused on the US midterms, Koha reports. Eisenkot told Channel 12 that only Israeli citizens decide.
Pressure on Ofer Winter
Walla has Winter's People of Israel at 2.9%, below the 3.25% threshold. Netanyahu and Smotrich met Rabbi Eli Sadan, Winter's mentor, on Tuesday to push Winter out; Winter refused and called their campaign "ugly". An internal poll for a coalition party found 24.2% of Blue and White voters would switch to him.
Far right eyes gains
Reuters reports that Itamar Ben-Gvir is poised for gains as young voters turn to the far right. Walla had his Otzma Yehudit unchanged at eight seats.