For the first time since Prime Minister Ariel Sharon became comatose seven weeks ago, his Kadima party has begun to show a consistent drop in the polls. The Dachaf Institute, commissioned by the Yediot Acharonot newspaper, finds that Kadima would receive 39 Knesset seats. This was the party's second consecutive weekly drop. Labor is down slightly to 19 seats, according to Dachaf, and the Likud is up to 16.
Shas, Yisrael Beiteinu and the NU/NRP would each receive 10, 9 and 8 seats, respectively, according to Dachaf. With UTJ's five seats, this would give the potential right-wing camp a total of 48 Knesset mandates.
A poll by Teleseker shows that Kadima would receive 40 seats. A Channel Ten survey, however, gives Kadima 39, Labor 19, the Likud 14 - and the Nation Union-National Religious Party merger 11 Knesset seats. Likud sources, possibly sensing a threat from the NU/NRP, attacked MK Effie Eitam today, saying that he is "moonstruck" and "extremist."
The polls find that the Likud could jump by 5-6 seats if party chairman Binyamin Netanyahu succeeds in changing party rules and having Knesset candidates chosen in nationwide primaries.
Shinui, the anti-religious party that all but disintegrated a month ago when most of its 15 MKs left for other parties, is planning a protest in Haifa today. The target: the city's decision to cancel the destruction of an overpass in the city that had been planned for the Sabbath. Shinui, which is not expected to receive enough votes to enter the Knesset, says the government, which apparently requested the cancellation, caved in to religious pressure.
Members of another anti-religious party, Meretz, are also demonstrating today. They arrived in Hevron to proclaim their displeasure at the fact that Jews are still permitted to remain in the Jewish-owned market area of the city.
Shas, Yisrael Beiteinu and the NU/NRP would each receive 10, 9 and 8 seats, respectively, according to Dachaf. With UTJ's five seats, this would give the potential right-wing camp a total of 48 Knesset mandates.
A poll by Teleseker shows that Kadima would receive 40 seats. A Channel Ten survey, however, gives Kadima 39, Labor 19, the Likud 14 - and the Nation Union-National Religious Party merger 11 Knesset seats. Likud sources, possibly sensing a threat from the NU/NRP, attacked MK Effie Eitam today, saying that he is "moonstruck" and "extremist."
The polls find that the Likud could jump by 5-6 seats if party chairman Binyamin Netanyahu succeeds in changing party rules and having Knesset candidates chosen in nationwide primaries.
Shinui, the anti-religious party that all but disintegrated a month ago when most of its 15 MKs left for other parties, is planning a protest in Haifa today. The target: the city's decision to cancel the destruction of an overpass in the city that had been planned for the Sabbath. Shinui, which is not expected to receive enough votes to enter the Knesset, says the government, which apparently requested the cancellation, caved in to religious pressure.
Members of another anti-religious party, Meretz, are also demonstrating today. They arrived in Hevron to proclaim their displeasure at the fact that Jews are still permitted to remain in the Jewish-owned market area of the city.