(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu scores higher in several areas than his main rivals in Israel, according to a poll by Teleseker published by Maariv. 31.6 per cent of respondents say Netanyahu would be the better prime minister in the group.

Foreign minister Tzipi Livni of Kadima is second with 24.6 per cent, followed by Labour leader Ehud Barak with 10.5 per cent, and transportation minister Shaul Mofaz of Kadima with 10.0 per cent.

Netanyahu is also preferred to manage socio-economic affairs with 46.5 per cent, followed by Livni with 20.5 per cent, Mofaz with 5.6 per cent, and Barak with 5.4 per cent.

Mofaz is picked by 25.2 per cent of respondents as the most appropriate person to manage security and the military system, followed by Barak with 24.6 per cent, Netanyahu with 24.4 per cent, and Livni with 6.5 per cent.

Livni’s main strength is in managing negotiations with the Palestinians. The Kadima member is first with 27.4 per cent, followed by Netanyahu with 25.6 per cent, Mofaz with 12 per cent, and Barak with 11.1 per cent.

In March 2006, Israeli voters renewed the Knesset. Kadima, founded by former prime minister Ariel Sharon and led by current head of government Ehud Olmert, secured 29 seats in the legislature. Labour, the International Organization of Torah-observant Sephardic Jews (Shas) and the Retired People’s Party (Gil) joined Kadima in a coalition. In October, the Israeli cabinet approved the addition of Israel Our Home to the government. Olmert’s coalition now has the support of 78 of the Knesset’s 120 members.

In May, Israeli police raided the offices of Jerusalem’s city government and seized documents related to prime minister Olmert’s tenure as mayor, from 1993 to 2003. Olmert is alleged to have illegally accepted hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars from Moshe Talansky and other wealthy Jewish-American businessmen, either as illegal campaign contributions or bribes. Neither Olmert nor Talansky have been charged with any crime, but now Olmert is under investigation.

On Jul. 31, Olmert announced that he will not participate in an extraordinary internal ballot for Kadima’s leadership on Sept. 17, which will effectively end his tenure. Whoever wins the leadership vote will form a new government. Livni and Mofaz are the two main contenders for the party’s leadership.

On Sept. 3, Netanyahu criticized the current government for engaging in peace talks with Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, saying, "Instead of wasting Israel’s efforts in achieving a virtual peace which will be bad to both the Palestinians and to Israel, we need to focus on helping the Palestinians build up their economy. That is a policy which I will bring as prime minister. It will be good for Israel, for the Palestinians, and for peace."

Polling Data

Of the following who is most appropriate to...

Source: Teleseker / Maariv
Methodology: Interviews with 448 Israeli adults, conducted on Aug. 27, Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.

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