After the storm with Ra'am: Eisenkot weakens, Netanyahu opens dramatic gap

A Channel 14 poll shows a weakening of the Yashar party led by Gadi Eisenkot following the storm over the meeting with Bedouin local council heads, while Likud under Netanyahu strengthens. The gap between the parties grew from 9 to 11 seats, and Netanyahu opens a 14% lead on the question of suitability for prime minister. The right-wing bloc holds 64 seats.

A Channel 14 poll published this evening (Thursday, September 17, 2026) indicates a direct impact of the storm over the meeting between Gadi Eisenkot and the heads of Bedouin local councils in the north on the seat map. According to the poll results, the Likud party led by Benjamin Netanyahu strengthens by one seat, rising from 30 to 31 seats, while the Yashar party led by Eisenkot weakens by one seat, dropping from 21 to 20. The gap between the two parties grew from 9 to 11 seats. The most notable change was recorded on the question of suitability for prime minister: Netanyahu strengthens by four percentage points, rising from 51% to 55%, while Eisenkot loses six percentage points within two days, dropping from 35% to 29%. In a head-to-head matchup, Netanyahu stands at 57% versus 43% for Eisenkot. The right-wing bloc remains stable with 64 seats, the left-wing bloc receives 44 seats, and the Arab parties together win 12 seats. The poll was conducted by NEXT DATA among 817 adults, with data analysis by Shlomo Filber. The previous poll was conducted on Tuesday, September 15, with 483 participants.