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Eisenkot Leads Opposition Race as Polls Favor New Coalition

4/22/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Gadi Eisenkot, ex-IDF chief, leads the opposition leadership race with 27% support in a Maariv survey.
Naftali Bennett trails at 16% and Yair Lapid at 6%.
The opposition leads polls, while Netanyahu's Likud struggles to close the gap.
Bennett, Eisenkot, and Lapid discuss merging to form New Israel ahead of October elections.
If united, they could win 38 seats, though neither bloc can form a government without Arab-party support.

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Story summary

Gadi Eisenkot, ex-IDF chief, leads the opposition leadership race with 27% support in a Maariv survey.
Naftali Bennett trails at 16% and Yair Lapid at 6%.
The opposition leads polls, while Netanyahu's Likud struggles to close the gap.
Bennett, Eisenkot, and Lapid discuss merging to form New Israel ahead of October elections.
If united, they could win 38 seats, though neither bloc can form a government without Arab-party support.