Surprise! Qatargate strengthens Netanyahu and Likud in new poll

Despite all the drama, spins, and headlines in the Qatargate affair that also led to questioning the Prime Minister in an open testimony, Likud led by Benjamin Netanyahu recorded a strengthening by an additional mandate this week, and Religious Zionism led by Bezalel Smotrich passes the electoral threshold.

In contrast, the State Camp led by Benny Gantz is crashing and plummeting to a low of only 14 mandates.

This emerges from a "Maariv" survey, conducted by "Lazar Research," headed by Dr. Menachem Lazar and in partnership with Panel4All.

The complete mandate distribution in the survey: Likud 24, Yisrael Beiteinu 16, State Camp 14, Yesh Atid 14, Democrats 13, Shas 10, Jewish Power 9, United Torah Judaism 6, Hadash-Ta'al 5, Ra'am 5, Religious Zionism 4.

The coalition parties bloc strengthened this week by 3 mandates, to 53, while the opposition parties bloc dropped by 4 mandates, to 57. The Arab parties continue to maintain 10 mandates.

Overall, many in the public interpret the investigations against the Prime Minister's circle as a political witch hunt and persecution, and because of that, the strengthening of Likud against the backdrop of the affair is understandable.

Although it now seems that elections are becoming more distant due to government stability and the passing of the budget without concern from the threats of the ultra-Orthodox parties.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid estimated in an interview with "Maariv" that elections will be held in the coming year, and clarified that he is prepared for elections.

According to him, "There is no other country in the world whose government would not have resigned after the October 7 disaster. But I admit that I did not take into account that the concept of responsibility is completely foreign to them, and that Bibi is for maintaining power at any cost. In my opinion, they will not pass the 2026 budget - and we will go to elections."

Meanwhile, despite the unrest that erupted in certain parts of the public against the move of former Prime Minister Bennett, his new party receives broad support on paper and may gain more than 20 mandates - according to the current survey.