Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was years ago nicknamed “The Magician” for his ability to win seemingly unwinnable elections and marshal governing coalitions out of parliamentary chaos.He will need those magical powers in this year’s national vote as he plans to stand for reelection — the first time he will be judged at the voting box since the outbreak of violence and destruction in Gaza. A collapsing relationship with President Donald Trump, an Israeli public increasingly negative toward the White House, and a possible end to his foreign operations have scrambled his strategy.Netanyahu’s party, Likud, is down in the polls to a prospective 24 seats in the Knesset if the election were held today, according to a survey published by Zman Yisrael. Likud is facing significant challenges from the centrist Yashar party and the center-right Together alliance — both of which are polling evenly at 21 seats apiece.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a news conference, in Jerusalem, Monday June 15, 2026. (Ronen Zvulun, Pool Photo via AP)
Most concerningly for the prime minister, the oppositional bloc is currently projected to secure 60 seats of the 120-member parliament, compared to his coalition, which is projected to hold 50, according to the Zmall survey.
