In a surprise turnaround, a new poll projects that parties supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would make up the largest bloc in the Knesset if elections were held today.

The Channel 13 survey was the first among the major news networks to indicate a result of this sort since the start of the election campaign.

At the same time, Netanyahu did not have a clear path to a Knesset majority even in the latest poll.

According to the survey of 886 respondents with a margin of error of ±3.3%, the presumed pro-Netanyahu bloc would win 54 seats, compared with the opposition bloc’s 52, and the Arab parties clinching 14.

Though Netanyahu’s bloc appeared to be strengthening, his own party was not, with Likud winning only 18 seats compared to 22 for Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar.

Last week’s poll on Channel 13 showed the blocs tied at 53 seats each, while other polls have previously shown the opposition bloc taking the lead. No poll has yet shown either side reaching a clear majority, on the assumption that Arab parties would not join any government.

Among the other parties, the third largest in the recent poll was B’Yachad, the joint slate led by former prime minister Naftali Bennett and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, which scored 12 seats, down one from the previous poll. The Democrats were next with 10 seats, followed by Religious Zionism with 8. The latter party, led by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, has seen its numbers jump from hovering around the threshold for entry into the Knesset, after it formed a technical bloc with Zehut party leader Moshe Feiglin.

Also predicted to win 8 seats were Otzma Yehudit, Yisrael Beytenu, and the Joint Arab List.

The two ultra-Orthodox parties, United Torah Judaism and Shas, were both given 7 seats in the poll.

Rising up the rankings was new party People of Israel, led by Ofer Winter, which scored 6 seats in the poll. Winter has said he would recommend Netanyahu as prime minister. After elections, leaders of all the parties that won seats are asked choose the one they think could lead the government.

Arab party Ra’am also polled at 6 seats.

The nonaligned Reservists party, led by Yoaz Hendel, as well as Benny Gantz’s Blue and White, both polled below the threshold for entry into the Knesset.

Likud’s poll result of 18 marked the lowest ever for the ruling party in a Channel 13 poll. Last week the channel gave Likud 19 seats and Yashar 22 seats.

Channel 13........

© The Times of Israel