The latest decline in the coalition’s popularity is attributed to several issues, including the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon.
A new Israeli opinion poll shows the popularity of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party continuing to fall amid escalating domestic opposition.
According to the Israeli daily Maariv, cited by the Anadolu news agency, Netanyahu’s governing coalition has lost one seat this week, marking the second consecutive week of dwindling support.
A new Israeli opinion poll shows the popularity of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party continuing to fall amid escalating domestic opposition https://t.co/YmDE2hsR4D pic.twitter.com/0nWiwWEBXW
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) November 15, 2024
The latest decline in the coalition’s popularity is attributed to several issues, including the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon, a controversy over mandatory military service, and a recent court decision rejecting Netanyahu’s request to postpone his testimony in a corruption trial.
Netanyahu has consistently claimed that the corruption charges are false and part of a concerted campaign against him by the police and prosecutors.
Opposition Seats
According to the Maariv report on the poll, released on Friday, if elections were held today, opposition parties would secure 62 seats in the 120-member Knesset (parliament), Netanyahu’s camp would get 48, and Arab members of the Knesset would hold 10.
🚨 New controversies continue to haunt Israel’s leadership
➡️ Netanyahu faces accusations of security leaks, forgery, protocol alteration, and blackmail
➡️ He’s also indicted on charges of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery, which he calls a politically motivated ‘witch hunt’… pic.twitter.com/5YYHFd6Flg
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) November 12, 2024
Last week’s poll further underscored the declining popularity of the government following the dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Netanyahu’s support for a law exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews from mandatory military service.
Netanyahu has also faced controversy over his failure to bring home Israeli captives held in Gaza. Some Israeli analysts and politicians have suggested that Netanyahu keeps rejecting calls for a cease-fire to avoid holding an election that he fears losing, Anadolu said.
Corruption. Leak Scandal
An Israeli court this week rejected Netanyahu’s for a 10-week delay to the start of his testimony in his corruption trial.
The prime minister will be expected to take the stand in just under three weeks.
Corruption Trial – Israeli Court Rejects Netanyahu’s Request for Delay in Case
The looming corruption trial comes amid an investigation into the leak of intelligence documents from Netanyahu’s office.
Five suspects have been detained as part of the investigation, and Netanyahu himself will be investigated following the go-ahead from Israel’s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara last week.
Ongoing Genocide
Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza.
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
Israel’s warfare in the besieged Gaza Strip is consistent with the characteristics of genocide, the UN Special Committee to investigate Israeli practices has said in a new report released on Thursday.https://t.co/BSJ8zfVvLk pic.twitter.com/6juL8nAYaE
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) November 14, 2024
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 43,736 Palestinians have, to date, been killed, and 103,370 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide.
Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
Millions Displaced
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety.
(PC, Anadolu)
