Israel to remain in political deadlock, poll finds ahead of November elections

By Abdelraouf Arna'out

JERUSALEM (AA) - A new opinion poll released on Friday in Israel found that the country could remain in political deadlock after upcoming elections in November with none of the major sides poised to gain enough votes to form a government.

The poll published by the daily Maariv showed the bloc of opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu securing 59 seats, while that of current Prime Minister Yair Lapid and his Defense Minister Benny Gantz appeared to receive 55 seats in the 120-member parliament.

The poll predicted that the Joint List, which comprises of three Arab parties that still reject joining any of the two main blocs, would get six seats.

It also showed that the Likud Party of Netanyahu would secure 31 seats, while the party of Lapid Yesh Atid (There is a Future) would receive 25.

The far-right Religious Zionist Party will have 13 seats, with Gantz's party -- the National Unity Party or State Camp -- will take 12 seats, according to the poll.

The poll found that the remaining seats would be had by smaller parties: Eight for the right-wing Shas, seven for the right-wing United Torah Judaism, five each for the leftist Meretz and right-wing Yisrael Beytenu, and four each for the center-left Labor and Arab Ra'am party.

In responding to the question of who would be more suitable for the post of prime Minister post, 43% of the respondents said Netanyahu, 33% said Lapid and 17% said Gantz.

The upcoming elections in Israel will be the fifth in less than four years.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar.