A Leader with Cross Bloc Credibility

Naftali Bennett performs competitively against Benjamin Netanyahu on most leadership metrics across the general sample in this special election poll for Channel 12, conducted by Midgam, which also takes a deep dive into Bennett voters.

Bennett is perceived as more trustworthy, more attentive to “people like me,” and better suited to addressing social divisions and the cost of living. Netanyahu maintains an advantage on national security and a narrow edge on the question of who would perform better as prime minister, but these gaps are smaller than those seen in previous election cycles.

This balance helps explain Bennett’s ability to draw support from voters who do not share a single ideological home. Among his voters, however, the picture is clearer: over 70% self-identify as right or center right, with the remainder clustering in the center. There is virtually no left-wing identification within his electorate. Bennett’s appeal, then, is not post-ideological. It is firmly right, but with softer edges than the traditional right-wing bloc.

Taken together, the data suggest that Bennett’s strength lies less in ideological alignment and more in personal positioning. He is seen as an empathetic competent, pragmatic, and comparatively unifying, natural leader that can pull votes from both blocs.

Bennett vs Netanyahu Deep Dive Polling Data

Pollster: Midgam for Channel 12
Fieldwork: December 16–17, 2025
Sample size: 505 respondents + boosted sample of 302 Bennett voters
Margin of error: ±4.4% (general), ±5.7% (Bennett voters)

Question 1: Bennett’s Performance as Prime Minister

RatingGeneral SampleCoalition VotersOpposition VotersIdentify as RightIdentify as Center–LeftIntend to Vote Bennett
Very good11%4%19%9%15%33%
Fairly good36%18%61%28%51%61%
Total good47%22%80%37%66%94%
Fairly bad20%27%13%23%12%3%
Very bad26%47%2%34%12%2%
Total bad46%74%15%57%24%5%
Don’t know7%4%5%6%10%1%

Question 2: Bennett vs. Netanyahu

Summary: Bennett vs. Netanyahu

CriterionNaftali BennettBenjamin NetanyahuDon’t know
More trustworthy46%37%17%
Will better care for people like me41%28%31%
Will better ensure national security38%40%22%
Will better handle the economy and cost of living45%30%25%
Will better address internal social divisions47%26%27%
Would perform better as Prime Minister40%44%16%

Who is more trustworthy?

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Naftali Bennett46%19%79%33%72%96%
Benjamin Netanyahu37%71%5%53%9%2%
Don’t know17%10%16%14%19%2%

Who will better care for people like me?

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Bennett41%17%71%31%61%93%
Netanyahu28%56%5%41%8%1%
Don’t know31%27%24%28%31%6%

Who will better ensure national security?

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Bennett38%13%71%26%62%82%
Netanyahu40%73%10%58%12%12%
Don’t know22%14%19%16%26%6%

Who will better handle the economy and cost of living?

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Bennett45%19%77%33%69%90%
Netanyahu30%59%6%43%10%5%
Don’t know25%22%17%24%21%5%

Who will better address internal social divisions?

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Bennett47%22%76%35%71%93%
Netanyahu26%50%5%37%8%1%
Don’t know27%28%19%28%21%6%

Who would perform better as Prime Minister?

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Bennett40%12%74%24%70%81%
Netanyahu44%81%10%63%12%11%
Don’t know16%7%16%13%18%8%

Question 3: Political Scenarios and Bennett

Summary – General Sample: Political Scenarios and Bennett

ScenarioTotal StrengthenTotal WeakenNo ChangeDon’t Know
Running with Gadi Eisenkot and the “Yeshar” party37%21%31%11%
Running with Yoaz Hendel and the Reservists Party33%22%33%12%
Running with Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu)33%28%30%9%
Ruling out sitting in a government with Netanyahu32%30%27%11%
Running with Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid)29%32%29%10%
Agreeing to form a government with Netanyahu23%41%25%11%
Government with Ra’am support or abstention (Mansour Abbas)20%39%28%13%
Ayelet Shaked joins party leadership19%35%34%12%

Running with Gadi Eisenkot (Yashar)

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Very strengthen18%8%33%11%30%42%
Somewhat strengthen19%10%31%16%27%31%
Somewhat weaken7%7%7%7%4%9%
Very weaken14%24%4%18%8%2%
No change31%40%19%37%21%10%
Don’t know11%11%6%11%10%6%

Running together with Yair Lapid and Yesh Atid

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Very much strengthen12%6%20%7%21%22%
Somewhat strengthen17%5%30%10%31%26%
Somewhat weaken7%7%10%10%3%19%
Very much weaken25%41%10%34%9%16%
No change29%33%25%31%28%13%
Don’t know10%8%5%8%8%4%

Running together with Avigdor Lieberman and Yisrael Beiteinu

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Very much strengthen15%8%26%16%15%33%
Somewhat strengthen18%11%25%16%18%33%
Somewhat weaken10%10%9%8%10%12%
Very much weaken18%27%9%22%18%6%
No change30%36%23%30%30%13%
Don’t know9%8%8%8%9%3%

Ayelet Shaked joins the party leadership

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Very much strengthen6%8%6%7%6%12%
Somewhat strengthen13%14%14%15%13%26%
Somewhat weaken14%8%21%9%14%16%
Very much weaken21%20%22%21%21%15%
No change34%41%29%37%34%19%
Don’t know12%9%8%11%12%12%

Running together with Yoaz Hendel and the Reservists Party

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Very much strengthen15%11%23%13%15%33%
Somewhat strengthen18%11%27%14%17%37%
Somewhat weaken7%5%11%6%7%8%
Very much weaken15%18%7%16%15%2%
No change33%42%23%38%33%11%
Don’t know12%13%9%13%13%9%

Forming a government with support or abstention by Ra’am (Mansour Abbas)

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Very much strengthen11%7%17%8%11%10%
Somewhat strengthen9%4%16%5%9%16%
Somewhat weaken9%8%12%8%9%20%
Very much weaken30%40%22%39%30%29%
No change28%31%23%27%28%13%
Don’t know13%10%10%13%13%12%

Agreeing to form a government with Benjamin Netanyahu

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Very much strengthen8%15%3%11%8%6%
Somewhat strengthen15%23%4%20%15%10%
Somewhat weaken9%8%13%10%9%18%
Very much weaken32%9%61%18%32%45%
No change25%36%12%31%25%14%
Don’t know11%9%7%10%11%7%

Ruling out sitting in a government with Benjamin Netanyahu

ResponseGeneralCoalitionOppositionRightCenter–LeftBennett Voters
Very much strengthen18%5%32%10%18%33%
Somewhat strengthen14%8%23%13%14%24%
Somewhat weaken9%10%9%9%8%16%
Very much weaken21%32%11%27%21%6%
No change27%36%19%31%28%14%
Don’t know11%9%6%10%11%7%

Question 4: Perceived ideology of Bennett

Ideological PositionGeneral SampleCoalition VotersOpposition VotersIdentify as RightIdentify as Center–LeftIntend to Vote Bennett (incl. boost)
Far right5%6%5%5%4%3%
Right31%24%42%35%26%44%
Center-right19%17%24%22%16%40%
Total right-wing55%47%71%62%46%87%
Center13%10%18%9%23%11%
Center-left12%19%6%13%11%1%
Left8%9%3%7%11%1%
Far left6%10%0%7%6%0%
Total center–left39%48%27%36%51%13%
Don’t know6%5%2%2%3%0%

Question 5: Bennett Voters

Certainty of voting for Bennett

ResponsePercent
Absolutely certain31%
Fairly certain57%
Still undecided12%

Main reason for supporting Bennett

ReasonPercent
No better alternative50%
Bennett is the right choice33%
Only one who can defeat Netanyahu16%
Don’t know1%

Self-Identified Ideological Position (Bennett Voters)

Ideological PositionPercent
Far right3%
Right32%
Center-right36%
Total right-wing71%
Center23%
Center-left6%
Left0%
Far left0%
Total center–left29%
Refused0%

Vote in November 1, 2022 election

PartyPercent
National Unity (Gantz)36%
Yesh Atid (Lapid)26%
Likud (Netanyahu)13%
Religious Zionism / Otzma Yehudit (Smotrich/Ben Gvir)6%
Yisrael Beiteinu (Lieberman)6%
Jewish Home (Ayelet Shaked)5%
Labor 1%
UTJ1%
Meretz1%
Other1%
Did not vote (no right)2%
Did not vote (had right)2%