The Likud, under the leadership of former Prime Binyamin Netanyahu, continues to gain at the expense of Kadima and the national religious factions, according to a New Wave poll published Monday in the Yisrael HaYom newspaper. If elections were held today, Likud would win 35 mandates, five short of the number held in the Sharon government. The new Jewish Home national religious party would win only five seats, and Yisrael HaYom noted that the apparent reason is the lack of a clear leader.

Kadima, headed by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, would win only 26 setas, followed by 10 each for Shas, Israel Is Our Home (Yisrael Beiteinu) and the combined Arab parties. Labor still is suffering several losses and would win only eight seats, compared with 19 in the present Knesset, followed by Meretz with seven.

The poll shows that a Likud-nationalist and religious coalition would include 65 Knesset Members plus another two if the Pensioners enter the coalition with their projected two members. The Opposition, including the Arab parties, would number 53.