Many Israelis Resigned to Fourth Election

Close to a third of Israelis say they are resigned to an inconclusive outcome in next week’s election and an unavoidable fourth round, according to a poll released on Thursday.

Some 30.4 percent of respondents told Democracy Institute pollsters they expect a fourth election, 22.1 percent said a right-wing coalition led by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu would emerge.

Hopes for a unity government were low, with only 16.7 percent saying they expect it to happen this time, led by Netanyahu, while 11.9 said they expected Blue and White leader Benny Gantz to head a unity government, and 6.7 percent said it will be a center-left government led by Gantz. Only 0.7 had no opinion.

A Netanyahu-led right-wing government was preferred by 29.6 percent, and a Netanyahu-led unity government by 14.8 percent, a combined 44.4 who want Netanyahu to be prime minister.

That gave him an edge over Gantz, the pick of 41.2 for a Gantz-led government, including 21.4 who support him heading a unity government and 19.8 who want a center-left government.

Asked about the possibility of a minority government backed from outside the coalition by the Joint Arab List, 37.8 percent said they strongly oppose it, 18.9 percent moderately oppose it, 20.7 moderately support it, and 15.2 said they did not know or refused to answer.