Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fallen to his lowest suitability rating for prime minister in recent months, with 31% of respondents backing him while 56% prefer a candidate other than Netanyahu, according to a Channel 12 poll.

The figure represents a six-point drop for Netanyahu in less than a month, from 37% in the previous poll. The gap between Netanyahu and respondents who prefer a candidate other than him now stands at 25 percentage points.

Asked what should happen if neither bloc secures 61 seats without the Arab parties, 23% favored a change government supported through abstention by the Arab parties, 22% preferred a unity government with Likud led by Netanyahu, 21% supported a unity government with Likud without Netanyahu, and another 21% preferred new elections.

On whether the ethnic background of a party leader affects voting intentions, 79% said it has little or no influence, while 13% said it has a significant influence. Among Netanyahu supporters, 80% said ethnic background has no influence. By contrast, 64% said whether a party is perceived as right-wing or left-wing has a significant impact on their vote, while 31% said it has little influence.

The poll also examined whether the change bloc could rely on Yoav Segalovich as a “61st vote” in forming a government, amid his expected move toward Mansour Abbas. Among the general public, 44% said the bloc could not rely on him and 28% said it could. Among change-bloc voters, 45% supported relying on Segalovich, while 27% opposed it.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)