A new poll taken in the aftermath of Israel’s 12-day war with Iran shows Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gaining ground politically — but not enough to reclaim a governing majority.

The survey, conducted by Channel 12 following a ceasefire widely seen as a military and strategic success for Israel, gives Netanyahu’s Likud party 26 seats in the 120-seat Knesset — a modest four-seat gain from pre-war polling.

Yet despite the bump, Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition remains short of the 61-seat majority needed to govern. According to the poll, the current coalition would muster only 49 seats, down from the 64 it held prior to the war. Opposition parties collectively would control 61 seats, while Arab parties, traditionally reluctant to join any government, would hold the remaining 10.

Sources close to the prime minister reportedly expressed disappointment, saying Netanyahu had anticipated a much stronger surge in support following the war, which saw Iran’s missile and drone capabilities severely degraded and Iran’s nuclear program in shambles, in what many viewed as a defining moment for Israeli deterrence.

The standout political shift comes from former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, whose newly re-launched party is projected to win a striking 24 seats — positioning him as the second-largest political force and a viable challenger to Netanyahu.

The poll marks the first time this year that Netanyahu leads Bennett in a head-to-head popularity question. When asked who is best suited to serve as prime minister, 38% of respondents chose Netanyahu, compared to 35% for Bennett. Another 21% said neither were fit for the role, and 6% were undecided.

Still, Netanyahu maintains a clear edge over other opposition leaders, including Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid.

The rest of the political map remains deeply fractured. The left-wing “Democrats” would secure 12 seats, while Yair Lapid’s centrist Yesh Atid, Shas, and Avigdor Lieberman’s nationalist Yisrael Beytenu each pull in nine seats.

United Torah Judaism polls at eight seats, and Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s National Unity collapses to seven. Far-right Otzma Yehudit registers just six seats — a sharp fall from its previous electoral performance.

Arab parties Hadash-Ta’al and Ra’am each receive five seats, continuing to hold sway as kingmakers unlikely to align with either major bloc.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)