Final Polls Show Netanyahu Gaining Support and Near to Majority

Final polls aired by Channel 12 and Channel 13 Friday ahead of Tuesday’s national election showed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on the cusp of clinching a ruling majority as the race draws to a close.

Channel 12’s poll showed Netanyahu’s Likud gaining momentum, with the party having gained three seats in the past week.

Both polls showed Likud and its religious-rightwing allies at 60 seats, just one seat short of a minimum majority.

Potential support from the Arab party Ra’am could take Netanyahu over the top, but such an alliance is strongly opposed by the hard right.

Channel 12 showed Likud with 32 seats, its highest result in months; Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid with 18; Naftali Bennett’s Yamina with 9; Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope with 9; the Joint List of Arab parties with 8; Shas with 8; United Torah Judaism with 7; Yisrael Beytenu with 7; and Labor at 6.

Four parties were hovering just above the 3.25% electoral threshold: Blue and White, Religious Zionism, Meretz and Ra’am, which broke away from the Joint List, all garnering four seats.