A day after Netanyahu's warning: the political trap hidden in the poll

A Channel 14 poll shows that the "Reservists and Economic" party of Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelikha crosses the electoral threshold for the first time, a day after Netanyahu warned at the Likud meeting against losing mandates to this party. The article presents the dilemma in Likud: the party could prevent a blocking bloc for the left, but its leaders are not committed to Netanyahu and may join his rivals.

The Channel 14 poll, conducted by Shlomo Filber, shows for the first time that the "Reservists and Economic" party of Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelikha crosses the electoral threshold. The timing is especially striking: only yesterday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Likud candidates at a closed meeting that the party of Hendel and Zelikha, together with the party of Ofer Winter, has three mandates that could and should go to Likud. A day after the warning, the poll turns the fear into reality. The article presents a dilemma: on one hand, the party crossing the threshold may take votes from the left and prevent a blocking bloc headed by Yair Lapid and Yair Golan. On the other hand, the party's leaders are not committed to Netanyahu, leaned left in the past and were partners in the Bennett-Lapid government. The article claims that Netanyahu will recognize the figures and will not take the risk, and will continue to act to bring the party below the electoral threshold.