Polls & Research

Netanyahu is Preferred PM for Most Israelis

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu beats all of his potential contenders as preferred head of government in Israel, according to a poll by the Dahaf Institute published in Yediot Ahronot. In one scenario, 41 per cent of respondents say Netanyahu would be the most appropriate candidate to become prime minister.

Labour leader Ehud Barak is second with 14 per cent, followed by incumbent Ehud Olmert of Kadima with six per cent. 36 per cent of respondents say none of them would be a good head of government.

In a second scenario, Netanyahu is also first with 35 per cent, followed by foreign minister Tzipi Livni with 27 per cent, and Barak with 13 per cent. In a third scenario, Netanhayu leads again with 36 per cent, followed by Barak with 19 per cent, and transportation minister Shaul Mofaz with 18 per cent.

In March 2006, Israeli voters renewed the Knesset. Kadima, founded by former prime minister Ariel Sharon and led by 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.

On May 12, Israeli police raided the offices of Jerusalem’s city government and seized documents related to 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.

Following calls for his resignation while the investigation continues, Olmert—who has been the subject of other corruption probes in the past—said that he will step down only if the attorney general decides to indict him. If the prime minister resigns, a snap election could take place, or another member of Kadima could take over as head of government.

In May 2006, Livni became deputy prime minister and retained the position of foreign minster. Livni is one of several political leaders who have called for Olmert to step down, along with Netanyahu.

On Jul. 28, retired Israeli Defence Foces (IDF) general Uzi Dayan announced that he would join Netanyahu’s Likud party and run for a seat in the Knesset. Dayan—the founder of the Turnaround (Tafnit) party—praised the Likud leader’s record on fighting corruption, declaring, "The Tafnit has decided to join the Likud, and the main thing is an agenda, and the agenda is a Zionist and Democratic Jewish state, restoring security, a strong and growing economy and education, and a clean and worthy governmental system."

Polling Data

Who is most appropriate to serve as prime minister?

Option 1

Benjamin Netanyahu	41%
Ehud Barak	14%
Ehud Olmert	6%
None of them	36%

Option 2

Benjamin Netanyahu	35%
Tzipi Livini	27%
Ehud Olmert	13%
None of them	22%

Option 3

Benjamin Netanyahu	36%
Ehud Barak	19%
Shaul Mofaz	18%
None of them	27%

Source: Dahaf Institute / Yediot Ahronot
Methodology: Interviews with 500 Israeli adults, conducted on Jul. 19, 2008. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.