U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyBenjamin Netanyahu’s approval ratings, which took a hit after the October 7 Hamas attack, have been boosted by the country’s military victory over Hezbollah, a new poll shows.
A widely shared photo of the Israeli prime minister ordering the largest of them all – the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, the long-time leader of the Lebanese armed group – in New York.
A poll released by Israel’s Channel 12 on Sunday night showed that the Israeli prime minister’s Likud party would win more seats than other parties if a general election were held.
However, this does not predict an overall win for him, but rather suggests that the current opposition parties will have more MPs, allowing them to form a coalition.
Fortunately for Netanyahu, his former political rival Gideon Sa’ar also joined his fractious coalition on Sunday, a move that should strengthen the prime minister’s hand.
“We will work together side by side and I intend to seek his help in forums that will influence the conduct of the war,” Netanyahu said.
Sa’ar will serve as a minister but will have no portfolio but a seat in the security cabinet, which oversees the management of the war against Israel’s regional enemies.
Through a coalition with a party with four seats, Netanyahu gained an absolute majority of 68 seats in the 120-seat parliament.
There have been rumors in recent weeks that the post of defense minister, currently held by the popular and experienced former military general Yoav Gallant, will be filled by the relatively inexperienced Saar.
However, this initiative appeared to be abandoned as Israel began a series of major strikes against Hezbollah.
For Netanyahu, the new government formation weakens the power of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. The far-right man has repeatedly threatened to overthrow the coalition if it continues to be “reckless” in reaching a deal to end the war in Gaza, bring back hostages or agree to a permanent ceasefire with Hezbollah.
Now, the coalition can survive even without the six seats of Ben Gvir’s Jewish Power party, giving Netanyahu more room to maneuver.
Saar was once seen as a rising star in Likud, but he left the party and became one of the prime minister’s most vocal critics, arguing that Netanyahu should not continue to work while battling corruption charges. hold office. He viewed his decision to join the government as a patriotic act that promoted unity.
However, he has been sharply criticized by some Israeli commentators for being cynical for his own selfish gain.
“Sa’ar’s decision to join the government is undoubtedly a bitter blow to many Israelis who believe that Netanyahu needs to step down, not just because he is on trial on criminal charges and not just because he is one of the most Corruption, hedonism and “the most lying prime minister Israel has ever had,” said Sima Kadmon, a columnist for “Israeli” newspaper. “
She believes his actions “will stabilize and advance the worst government Israel has ever seen, so much so that the original date of the next elections, October 2026, now looks like a realistic date”.
Of course, the extra seats could also help address another challenge facing Israel’s most far-right government ever.
The passage of the new conscription law was divisive when military expansion was urgently needed at a sensitive time in the war.
Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in June that the country must begin conscripting students from ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminaries into the army. They have historically been exempted, but the move was strongly opposed by the two ultra-Orthodox parties on which the coalition relies.
In July, Yove Galante approved a plan to begin issuing conscription notices to 1,000 young people aged 18-26 from the ultra-Orthodox community, deepening his personal rift with the prime minister.
Getty ImagesNetanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader, is a shrewd political strategist and his party’s support did plummet in opinion polls late last year.
The Oct. 7 attack was the deadliest day in Israel’s history, and Hamas took one of the world’s best intelligence agencies and the region’s best-resourced military several hours to respond, leaving him as The personal image of “Mr. Safety” was seriously damaged.
By August, however, polls showed the prime minister had begun to rebound.
Although the invasion of Gaza turned into Israel’s longest-ever war, there is no sign that its goals have been achieved: to completely destroy Hamas and bring back Israel’s remaining hostages.
The latest polls show Likud holding as many as 25 seats. The coalition is expected to win a total of 49 seats, while the opposition will win 66 seats.
According to Channel 12 research, Netanyahu remains the favored candidate for prime minister over centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid, with 38% backing him compared with his opponent’s support is 27%.
Israeli politics depends largely on what happens next when Israel’s multi-front war reaches a critical moment.
As Israel hints at a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, tens of thousands of Israeli citizens in the country’s north still don’t know when they will be able to return to their homes – Israel’s official goal.
If Iran, Hezbollah’s main ally, decides to launch an attack, the consequences will be difficult to predict.
On the international stage, Israel appears increasingly isolated. The International Court of Justice is considering whether to try Israel for genocide and has requested arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and defense minister on charges of crimes against humanity.
The final test of Netanyahu’s resilience may yet to come.
