Netanyahu fears election competition, considers shortening trips abroad

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political campaign is considering cutting short his political trips abroad to focus on campaigning, amid former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz's poll results, Maariv, The Jerusalem Post's Israeli sister newspaper, reported on Friday. Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to India, Poland and Germany, but now might make these trips significantly shorter. While the Prime Minister's Office confirmed Netnyahu's upcoming visit to Warsaw, they said further examination will be necessary. A poll conducted by Maariv, supports Gantz's might have a shot to take down Netanyahu.  Likud, headed by Netanyahu, leads the polls with 31 seats, Gantz’s Israel Resilience Party would have 20 seats, and Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid comes next with 12 seats.Marriv speculated that if Lapid would join forces with Gantz, they would receive 32 seats, giving Netanyahu a close race. The other parties polled as follows:United Torah Judaism - 7 seatsThe New Right - 6 seats Labor - 6 seats Meretz - 5 seas The Joint-List - 5 seats Kulanu- 5 seats Shas - 4 seats Bayit Yehudi - 4 seats