With 56 days remaining before Israel’s scheduled October 27 Knesset election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to be weakening as opinion polls show declining support for him and his Likud party. Netanyahu views the vote as crucial to his political and personal future while corruption cases involving bribery, fraud and breach of trust continue in Israeli courts. The source also says an International Criminal Court arrest warrant has been in place against him since 2024 over allegations related to Gaza.

A poll broadcast by Israel’s public broadcaster on Sunday evening projected 52 seats for Netanyahu’s bloc, 55 for non-Arab opposition parties and 13 for Arab lawmakers. A governing majority in the 120-seat Knesset requires support from at least 61 lawmakers. Opposition parties could seek support from Arab legislators, though most of their leaders still oppose such an alliance.

Former army chief Gadi Eisenkot’s new Yashar party was projected to win 24 seats, ahead of Likud’s 21, while 40 percent of respondents preferred Eisenkot as prime minister compared with 37 percent for Netanyahu. Netanyahu is trying to prevent right-wing votes from splintering by pursuing alliances among smaller parties, but efforts to unite Jewish Power and Religious Zionism have failed, according to the report.