Binyamin Netanyahu
Binyamin NetanyahuReuters

A poll published on Channel 12 News on Friday finds that 46% of the public believes that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is not properly handling the economic crisis that has emerged in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. 53% of those with that opinion define themselves as right-wingers.

Most of the respondents to the poll stated that Netanyahu's performance in the economic aspect of the coronavirus pandemic is "overall bad", compared to only 32% who answered that his performance these days is "overall good".

As for the question of suitability for the role of Prime Minister, Netanyahu is still at the top of the list, with 34% of respondents answering that he is the one who should serve in that position at this time. In second and third place, there is a near tie between opposition leader Yair Lapid and former Defense Minister Naftali Bennett: Lapid is supported by 15% of respondents, compared to Bennett with 14%.

Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz, who according to the agreement with Netanyahu is due to serve as Prime Minister starting in November 2021, is only in fourth place, with 10% of respondents answering that he is suitable to serve as Prime Minister at this time.

The poll also found that, if elections were to be held today, the Likud would still be the largest party in the Knesset with 32 seats. However, the number of seats the Likud wins according to the current poll is the lowest it has been in quite some time. In a Channel 12 News poll conducted on July 6, the Likud had 37 seats, and in the poll that preceded it the Likud had as many as 40 seats.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)