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
Rating
General Sample
Coalition Voters
Opposition Voters
Identify as Right
Identify as Center–Left
Intend to Vote Bennett
Very good
11%
4%
19%
9%
15%
33%
Fairly good
36%
18%
61%
28%
51%
61%
Total good
47%
22%
80%
37%
66%
94%
Fairly bad
20%
27%
13%
23%
12%
3%
Very bad
26%
47%
2%
34%
12%
2%
Total bad
46%
74%
15%
57%
24%
5%
Don’t know
7%
4%
5%
6%
10%
1%
Question 2: Bennett vs. Netanyahu
Summary: Bennett vs. Netanyahu
Criterion
Naftali Bennett
Benjamin Netanyahu
Don’t know
More trustworthy
46%
37%
17%
Will better care for people like me
41%
28%
31%
Will better ensure national security
38%
40%
22%
Will better handle the economy and cost of living
45%
30%
25%
Will better address internal social divisions
47%
26%
27%
Would perform better as Prime Minister
40%
44%
16%
Who is more trustworthy?
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Naftali Bennett
46%
19%
79%
33%
72%
96%
Benjamin Netanyahu
37%
71%
5%
53%
9%
2%
Don’t know
17%
10%
16%
14%
19%
2%
Who will better care for people like me?
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Bennett
41%
17%
71%
31%
61%
93%
Netanyahu
28%
56%
5%
41%
8%
1%
Don’t know
31%
27%
24%
28%
31%
6%
Who will better ensure national security?
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Bennett
38%
13%
71%
26%
62%
82%
Netanyahu
40%
73%
10%
58%
12%
12%
Don’t know
22%
14%
19%
16%
26%
6%
Who will better handle the economy and cost of living?
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Bennett
45%
19%
77%
33%
69%
90%
Netanyahu
30%
59%
6%
43%
10%
5%
Don’t know
25%
22%
17%
24%
21%
5%
Who will better address internal social divisions?
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Bennett
47%
22%
76%
35%
71%
93%
Netanyahu
26%
50%
5%
37%
8%
1%
Don’t know
27%
28%
19%
28%
21%
6%
Who would perform better as Prime Minister?
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Bennett
40%
12%
74%
24%
70%
81%
Netanyahu
44%
81%
10%
63%
12%
11%
Don’t know
16%
7%
16%
13%
18%
8%
Question 3: Political Scenarios and Bennett
Summary – General Sample: Political Scenarios and Bennett
Scenario
Total Strengthen
Total Weaken
No Change
Don’t Know
Running with Gadi Eisenkot and the “Yeshar” party
37%
21%
31%
11%
Running with Yoaz Hendel and the Reservists Party
33%
22%
33%
12%
Running with Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu)
33%
28%
30%
9%
Ruling out sitting in a government with Netanyahu
32%
30%
27%
11%
Running with Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid)
29%
32%
29%
10%
Agreeing to form a government with Netanyahu
23%
41%
25%
11%
Government with Ra’am support or abstention (Mansour Abbas)
20%
39%
28%
13%
Ayelet Shaked joins party leadership
19%
35%
34%
12%
Running with Gadi Eisenkot (Yashar)
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Very strengthen
18%
8%
33%
11%
30%
42%
Somewhat strengthen
19%
10%
31%
16%
27%
31%
Somewhat weaken
7%
7%
7%
7%
4%
9%
Very weaken
14%
24%
4%
18%
8%
2%
No change
31%
40%
19%
37%
21%
10%
Don’t know
11%
11%
6%
11%
10%
6%
Running together with Yair Lapid and Yesh Atid
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Very much strengthen
12%
6%
20%
7%
21%
22%
Somewhat strengthen
17%
5%
30%
10%
31%
26%
Somewhat weaken
7%
7%
10%
10%
3%
19%
Very much weaken
25%
41%
10%
34%
9%
16%
No change
29%
33%
25%
31%
28%
13%
Don’t know
10%
8%
5%
8%
8%
4%
Running together with Avigdor Lieberman and Yisrael Beiteinu
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Very much strengthen
15%
8%
26%
16%
15%
33%
Somewhat strengthen
18%
11%
25%
16%
18%
33%
Somewhat weaken
10%
10%
9%
8%
10%
12%
Very much weaken
18%
27%
9%
22%
18%
6%
No change
30%
36%
23%
30%
30%
13%
Don’t know
9%
8%
8%
8%
9%
3%
Ayelet Shaked joins the party leadership
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Very much strengthen
6%
8%
6%
7%
6%
12%
Somewhat strengthen
13%
14%
14%
15%
13%
26%
Somewhat weaken
14%
8%
21%
9%
14%
16%
Very much weaken
21%
20%
22%
21%
21%
15%
No change
34%
41%
29%
37%
34%
19%
Don’t know
12%
9%
8%
11%
12%
12%
Running together with Yoaz Hendel and the Reservists Party
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Very much strengthen
15%
11%
23%
13%
15%
33%
Somewhat strengthen
18%
11%
27%
14%
17%
37%
Somewhat weaken
7%
5%
11%
6%
7%
8%
Very much weaken
15%
18%
7%
16%
15%
2%
No change
33%
42%
23%
38%
33%
11%
Don’t know
12%
13%
9%
13%
13%
9%
Forming a government with support or abstention by Ra’am (Mansour Abbas)
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Very much strengthen
11%
7%
17%
8%
11%
10%
Somewhat strengthen
9%
4%
16%
5%
9%
16%
Somewhat weaken
9%
8%
12%
8%
9%
20%
Very much weaken
30%
40%
22%
39%
30%
29%
No change
28%
31%
23%
27%
28%
13%
Don’t know
13%
10%
10%
13%
13%
12%
Agreeing to form a government with Benjamin Netanyahu
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Very much strengthen
8%
15%
3%
11%
8%
6%
Somewhat strengthen
15%
23%
4%
20%
15%
10%
Somewhat weaken
9%
8%
13%
10%
9%
18%
Very much weaken
32%
9%
61%
18%
32%
45%
No change
25%
36%
12%
31%
25%
14%
Don’t know
11%
9%
7%
10%
11%
7%
Ruling out sitting in a government with Benjamin Netanyahu
Response
General
Coalition
Opposition
Right
Center–Left
Bennett Voters
Very much strengthen
18%
5%
32%
10%
18%
33%
Somewhat strengthen
14%
8%
23%
13%
14%
24%
Somewhat weaken
9%
10%
9%
9%
8%
16%
Very much weaken
21%
32%
11%
27%
21%
6%
No change
27%
36%
19%
31%
28%
14%
Don’t know
11%
9%
6%
10%
11%
7%
Question 4: Perceived ideology of Bennett
Ideological Position
General Sample
Coalition Voters
Opposition Voters
Identify as Right
Identify as Center–Left
Intend to Vote Bennett (incl. boost)
Far right
5%
6%
5%
5%
4%
3%
Right
31%
24%
42%
35%
26%
44%
Center-right
19%
17%
24%
22%
16%
40%
Total right-wing
55%
47%
71%
62%
46%
87%
Center
13%
10%
18%
9%
23%
11%
Center-left
12%
19%
6%
13%
11%
1%
Left
8%
9%
3%
7%
11%
1%
Far left
6%
10%
0%
7%
6%
0%
Total center–left
39%
48%
27%
36%
51%
13%
Don’t know
6%
5%
2%
2%
3%
0%
Question 5: Bennett Voters
Certainty of voting for Bennett
Response
Percent
Absolutely certain
31%
Fairly certain
57%
Still undecided
12%
Main reason for supporting Bennett
Reason
Percent
No better alternative
50%
Bennett is the right choice
33%
Only one who can defeat Netanyahu
16%
Don’t know
1%
Self-Identified Ideological Position (Bennett Voters)
Ideological Position
Percent
Far right
3%
Right
32%
Center-right
36%
Total right-wing
71%
Center
23%
Center-left
6%
Left
0%
Far left
0%
Total center–left
29%
Refused
0%
Vote in November 1, 2022 election
Party
Percent
National Unity (Gantz)
36%
Yesh Atid (Lapid)
26%
Likud (Netanyahu)
13%
Religious Zionism / Otzma Yehudit (Smotrich/Ben Gvir)
In the suitability for prime minister polls, former prime minister Naftali Bennett continues to emerge as the principal challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a direct head-to-head matchup, Channel 12 places Bennett within one percentage point of Netanyahu. In the multi-candidate Channel 14 poll, Bennett ranks second, holding a 12-point lead over the next closest challenger.
The dominant topic this week was the fallout from revelations of betrayal within Netanyahu’s office, following reports that senior advisers received funds from Qatar. A Maariv poll shows that 60% of respondents with an opinion do not believe Netanyahu’s claim that he was unaware of the payments. A separate Zman Yisrael poll on the severity of the affair finds 52% describing the allegations as “very serious,” with an additional 20% viewing them as serious but not necessarily criminal.
Bloc Trends
The Bennett Bloc reaches 60 seats in both the Maariv and Israel Hayom polls. The Netanyahu Bloc posts its strongest showing at 66 seats in the Channel 14 and i24NEWS polls. Meanwhile, the Bennett Bloc records 58 seats in the Channel 12 and Zman Yisrael surveys.
Likud finishes on 25 seats in five of the seven polls. Bennett 2026 polls between 20 and 22 seats in six of the seven surveys. The Democrats’ 11-seat result in the Channel 12 (Midgam) poll is the only instance this week in which a party other than Likud or Bennett 2026 exceeds ten seats.
Eyes on the Threshold
Smotrich fails to cross the electoral threshold in two of the seven polls, while Hendel’s party clears the threshold in only two polls. As in recent weeks, Blue and White (Gantz) and Balad fail to cross the threshold in any survey. Lapid’s Yesh Atid also falls below the threshold in one poll this week.
What to Expect Next
This was an unusually dense polling week, with seven different polling firms releasing surveys. With less than ten months remaining until the scheduled election on 27 October 2026, attention is increasingly shifting to parliamentary developments. Ongoing Knesset deliberations over the state budget and the coalition draft bill remain potential triggers for an early election.
Poll
Broadcaster / Publisher
Pollster
Fieldwork Dates
Sample Size
Margin of Error
Poll 1
Maariv
Lazar/Panels
Dec 24–25, 2025
500
±4.4%
Poll 2
Israel Hayom
Kantar
Dec 24, 2025
Not stated
Not stated
Poll 3
Channel 12
Midgam
Dec 25, 2025
500
±4.4%
Poll 4
Zman Israel
Tatika
Dec 24–25, 2025
500
±4.4%
Poll 5
Channel 13
Maagar Mochot
Dec 23, 2025
563
±4.1%
Poll 6
i24NEWS
Direct Polls
Dec 17, 2025 (Published Dec 20)
544
±4.1%
Poll 7
Channel 14
Filber
Dec 25, 2025
657
Not stated
Party / Bloc
Lazar/Panels
Kantar
Midgam
Tatika
Maagar Mochot
Direct Polls
Filber
Likud (Netanyahu)
25
25
25
25
25
35
34
Naftali Bennett 2026
21
21
22
20
22
20
12
Democrats (Golan)
10
10
11
10
8
9
10
Yesh Atid (Lapid)
9
8
9
9
9
2.7%
5
Yisrael Beiteinu (Lieberman)
10
9
9
10
10
9
9
Shas (Deri)
9
10
8
10
9
10
10
United Torah Judaism
7
7
7
8
7
9
9
Otzma Yehudit (Ben Gvir)
9
8
8
5
10
8
8
Ra’am (Abbas)
5
5
5
5
4
6
5
Hadash–Ta’al
5
5
5
5
6
5
5
Yashar (Eisenkot)
10
8
7
5
6
5
8
Religious Zionism (Smotrich)
2.9%
3%
4
4
4
4
5
Blue & White (Gantz)
2.2%
2.9%
1.9%
0
2.2%
1.8%
1.1%
Miluimnikim (Hendel)
2.4%
4
1.7%
4
1.4%
3%
–
Balad
1.8%
2.1%
1.3%
0
2.1%
2.6%
2.3%
Bennett Bloc
60
60
58
58
55
43
44
Netanyahu Bloc
50
50
52
52
55
66
66
Arab Bloc
10
10
10
10
10
11
10
Poll
Question
Results
Lazar/Panels – Maariv
Do you believe Prime Minister Netanyahu’s claim that he did not know his advisers received money from Qatar?
Believe: 33% (40% among opinion holders) • Do not believe: 50% (60%) • Don’t know: 17%
Midgam – Channel 12
Suitability for Prime Minister – Netanyahu vs Bennett
Netanyahu: 38% • Bennett: 37% • Don’t know: 25%
Midgam – Channel 12
Netanyahu vs Lapid
Netanyahu: 43% • Don’t know: 35% • Lapid: 22%
Midgam – Channel 12
Netanyahu vs Eisenkot
Netanyahu: 40% • Don’t know: 32% • Eisenkot: 28%
Tatika – Zman Yisrael
Severity of Qatargate allegations
Very serious: 52% • Serious but not criminal: 20% • No problem: 14% • No opinion: 12%
This week’s polling was shaped primarily by economic concerns and the state budget, alongside continued fallout from the Haredi draft debate. Haredi protests against IDF conscription and allegations of intimidation directed at coalition members opposing the current draft bill featured prominently in the public discourse and appear to have influenced voter sentiment.
Bloc Trends
Across the week’s polling, the Bennett Bloc posted modest gains, increasing by two seats in the Zman Israel poll and by one seat in the Maariv poll. In contrast, the Channel 14 poll showed a one-seat increase for the Netanyahu Bloc, coming at the expense of the Arab Bloc.
Eyes on the Threshold
Religious Zionism (Smotrich) and the Reservists (Yoaz Hendel) each clear the electoral threshold in only one poll. Blue and White (Gantz) and Balad fail to cross the threshold in any poll, continuing a multi-week trend. As a result, all four parties remain at high risk, increasing the likelihood of withdrawals or mergers aimed at avoiding failure to enter the Knesset.
What to Expect Next
Polling volume declined this week due to Hanukkah and may remain limited in the coming days. Politically, attention will stay focused on deliberations over the state budget and the Haredi draft bill, both of which are expected to remain central drivers of the campaign narrative.
Publisher
Pollster
Fieldwork Dates
Sample Size
Margin of Error
Maariv
Lazar & Panels
December 17–18, 2025
500
±4.4%
Zman Israel
Tatika
December 17–18, 2025
500
±4.4%
Channel 14
Filber
December 18, 2025
491
Not stated
Party
Bloc
Maariv
Zman Israel
Channel 14
Likud (Netanyahu)
Netanyahu Bloc
25
26
36
Bennett 2026
Bennett Bloc
22
20
11
The Democrats (Golan)
Bennett Bloc
10
10
11
Shas (Deri)
Netanyahu Bloc
9
10
11
Yisrael Beiteinu (Lieberman)
Bennett Bloc
9
10
10
Yesh Atid (Lapid)
Bennett Bloc
9
10
4
Yashar (Eisenkot)
Bennett Bloc
10
6
8
United Torah Judaism
Netanyahu Bloc
7
8
8
Otzma Yehudit (Ben Gvir)
Netanyahu Bloc
9
6
7
Hadash–Ta’al
Arab Bloc
5
5
5
Ra’am (Abbas)
Arab Bloc
5
5
5
(Parties that do not consistently pass the threshold)
This week’s polling underscores Naftali Bennett’s emergence as the dominant alternative in the national leadership landscape. Voters increasingly identify Bennett as the most credible challenger, and in head-to-head prime-minister matchups he now performs almost on par with the incumbent, well ahead of all other contenders.
Issue Trends
This week’s polling cycle places leadership and economic sentiment squarely at the center of public opinion. In head-to-head matchups for prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu leads Naftali Bennett, yet both perform notably better than the rest of the field. Against Yair Lapid and Gadi Eisenkot, the “Don’t Know” category actually outperforms both challengers, underscoring significant voter hesitation about the current political bench beyond Netanyahu and Bennett.
Among opposition voters, Bennett emerges as the preferred leader, despite not holding a Knesset seat. His advantage over Eisenkot, Liberman, Lapid, and Golan signals both a vacuum in the elected opposition and the resonance of Bennett’s centrist-right positioning with voters searching for an alternative.
Policy sentiment is equally decisive. A clear majority opposes the government’s draft-exemption legislation, and most respondents say its primary purpose is to exempt most Haredim from service rather than increase enlistment. Meanwhile, nearly half say cost-of-living pressure will influence their next vote to the same extent as in 2022, while more than a third say it will play an even larger role, making it a dominant electoral issue moving forward.
Bloc Trends
Across nearly all polls, the Bennett bloc continues to outperform the Netanyahu bloc, reaffirming the competitive nature of the political landscape and the continuing erosion of automatic pro-Netanyahu support. Within the blocs, Avigdor Liberman and Yair Golan show remarkably stable ranges (9–11 seats), Lapid fluctuates more dramatically (4–10 seats), and Eisenkot shows modest, steady performance (5–8 seats). These dynamics illustrate the fluidity within Bennett’s bloc, with no single figure consolidating broad support beyond the leader.
Eyes on the Threshold
The threshold battles remain highly volatile. Benny Gantz fails to cross the electoral threshold in any survey, ranging from a high of 3 percent to a low of 1.2 percent. Bezalel Smotrich passes the threshold in only two polls, peaking at four seats but dropping to as low as 2 percent in others. Hendel has a high of four seats and a low of 1.6 percent, while Balad continues to hover below the threshold, polling between 2.8 percent and 1.3 percent. These margins underscore a crowded and unstable environment at the bottom of the political spectrum, with several parties at risk of wasting votes.
What to Expect Next
With the government budget now approved, political attention, and the polling that follows it, is expected to keep shifting heavily toward cost-of-living issues. In wake of budget talks in Knesset, inflation, wages, and consumer prices are likely to dominate the coming news cycle and voter sentiment.
Issue Trends A Zman Israel poll shows that the coalition’s draft bill is opposed by a majority of the public, and that amendments to the bill would increase support by only 13.8%. A Channel 12 poll indicates that the previous government led by Naftali Bennett is viewed as having performed better than the current government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, by a 7% margin.
Bloc Trends The Bennett bloc continues to gain at the expense of Netanyahu’s bloc, and in five of the seven polls it is within the margin of error for Bennett to form a government without relying on the Arab parties. The Netanyahu bloc remains relatively stable. Among the individual parties, Golan reaches double digits in four polls, Liberman and Lapid do so in two polls each, and Eisenkot registers a high of eight and a low of four.
Eyes on the Threshold Within the Bennett bloc, Gantz fails to cross the electoral threshold in all polls, and even in a week dominated by headlines about the draft bill, Hendel crosses the threshold in only one poll. Lapid also fails to pass the threshold in one poll. Within Netanyahu’s bloc, Smotrich crosses the threshold in four of the seven polls.
What to Expect Next With the budget now approved by the government, polling and political attention is expected to shift toward cost-of-living issues.
Jeremy's Knesset Insider 