Eisenkot dramatically narrows gap with Netanyahu, both in seats and suitability

A Channel 14 poll shows Likud with 29 seats, while Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party rises to 22. The right-wing bloc drops to 61. In the direct suitability question for prime minister, the gap between Netanyahu and Eisenkot narrows to just two percentage points: 51% vs. 49%.

A Channel 14 poll conducted on Sunday, October 18, 2026, by NEXT DATA, indicates shifts in the seat map nine days before the elections for the 26th Knesset. Likud, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, maintains 29 seats, while Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party gains two seats, rising to 22, narrowing the gap with Likud to seven seats. The right-wing bloc weakens by one seat to 61, compared to 62 in the previous poll. In the direct suitability question for prime minister, the gap between Netanyahu and Eisenkot has narrowed to just two percentage points: 51% for Netanyahu vs. 49% for Eisenkot. The poll was conducted among 559 adults from the general population.