Press Release

Does Benjamin Netanyahu Face Real Competition?

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The monthly Peace Index of the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University reveals that: 46% of Jewish Israelis name Benjamin Netanyahu as their preferred candidate for the next prime minister; 76% of Jewish Israelis are critical of government’s dealings with the situation on the Gaza border.

Benjamin Netanyahu | Flash 90

Main Findings:

Whom do you want to see as the next prime minister? The Jewish public places Benjamin Netanyahu first among the candidates, with 46% wanting to see him as the next prime minister. Second in line is Benny Gantz with 39%. Lagging far behind are Naftali Bennet and Yair Lapid (23% each), Avigdor Liberman (19%), Tzipi Livni (18%), Ehud Barak (13%), and Avi Gabbay (10%). Among the Arabs, Tzipi Livni is in first place, with 27% who would want to see her as the next prime minister. The majority of Jewish and Arab Israelis (61% and 72% respectively) think they will vote for the same party they voted for in the previous elections.

Should Netanyahu continue to hold the defense portfolio? 58% of Jewish Israelis believe that Netanyahu cannot adequately deal with the security issue while acting as Prime Minister. A look at the responses by political camps reveals that only among the left and center (86% and 73%, respectively) is there a majority who believe that Netanyahu’s handling of the security issue is compromised by the excessive burden on his shoulders. On the other hand, the right is quite split on this question 46% agree that PM should not hold the defense portfolio and 47% think that it is fine. Among the Arabs 55% think PM Netanyahu is overburdened in the current situation.

The Gaza border: 76% of the Jewish public is sharply critical of the way the government is dealing with the Palestinians’ ongoing struggle along the border with Gaza (up from 56.5% in June 2018). Among Arab Israelis the rate of disapproval has reached 82%. On the other hand 67% of Jewish Israelis (down from 76% in June 2018) and 14% of Arab Israelis gave the IDF positive grades. As for achievements along the Gaza border 33% of Jewish Israelis believe that the Palestinians have scored greater success, while 21% think that the Israeli side has won greater success and 28% think that neither side has had any significant success so far. 60% of Arab Israelis thinks that neither side can cite any success to its name.

The Peace Index is a project of the Evens Program for Mediation and Conflict Resolution at Tel Aviv University and the Guttman Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research of the Israel Democracy Institute. This month's survey was conducted by telephone and internet on November 27-28, 2018, by the Midgam Research Institute. The survey included 600 respondents, who constitute a representative national sample of the adult population of Israel aged 18 and over. The maximum measurement error for the entire sample is ±4.1% at a confidence level of 95%. Statistical analyses were done by Ms. Yasmin Alkalay. 

For the complete Peace Index.