47% of Israelis support a Lapid-Bennett led government - poll
Were Israel to hold direct elections for prime minister today, some 37% of Israelis would vote for Netanyahu and 23% for Lapid.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFYAIR LAPID (left) and Naftali Bennett share a smile at the Knesset in 2013.(photo credit: BAZ RATNER/REUTERS)
Some 47% of Israelis support the formation of a Lapid-Bennett led government, a new poll has found, according to N12. The poll, conducted by Midgam Consulting and Research, led by Mano Geva and presented on Ophira and Berko this week, also found that some 61% of right-wing voters oppose the formation of this government, while 77% of left-wing voters support it, according to N12.The poll also found that if direct elections for prime minister were held today, some 37% of Israelis would vote for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 23% for Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid, 9% for Blue and White head Benny Gantz, 8% for Yamina head Naftali Bennett and 4% for New Hope head Gideon Sa'ar, and 19% undecided, N12 reported.The poll was conducted on Thursday among 506 respondents and has a margin of error of +/-4.4%, it reported.Lapid, Bennett, Meretz chairman Nitzan Horowitz and Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman met on Friday afternoon as part of the efforts to form a new government.Negotiations between Lapid and Bennett began on Thursday evening, and have continued throughout Friday with the other parties who have indicated a willingness to join a potential coalition."This was not my first choice," Bennet stressed, referring to the decision to begin negotiations towards a unity government. "I went all in with Netanyahu from the moment he received the mandate... Netanyahu has failed," he added."We now face two options: a fifth round of elections or attempting to form a wide government," Bennett wrote, adding that "this is merely an attempt... the gaps are large."
