Latest Polls on Israeli Elections: Netanyahu Set to Become Prime Minister Again

While the Israeli State Comptroller has requested the Attorney General to investigate a new case against Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister and leader of the ruling Likud party, for potential corruption, the latest pre-election polls indicate that due to the right-wing coalition maintaining a majority, Netanyahu's chances of remaining in office are high. According to election law, further polling is prohibited until the elections on Tuesday, April 9. The latest poll from Israel's Channel 12, published on Friday, April 7, shows the Blue and White coalition led by Benny Gantz winning 30 seats and Likud securing 26 seats. The Jerusalem Post poll predicts 28 seats for the Blue and White coalition and 27 for Likud. However, since the right-wing and religious parties collectively secure at least 63 of the 120 Knesset seats in all polls, Netanyahu's chances of forming the next government are greater than Gantz's. Electoral lists that can secure seats in the Knesset will recommend to the President of the country after the elections to assign the task of forming a government to either Netanyahu or Gantz. The President must appoint a politician who has the support of a majority of representatives. Meanwhile, according to the Times of Israel, Yair Lapid, one of the two leaders of the Blue and White coalition, stated on Friday that if the seat gap between his coalition and Likud is 4 seats or more, 'no power can take away the chance of forming a government from his coalition.' Benny Gantz also mentioned among his supporters on Friday, 'On election day, we have a historical obligation and opportunity to change everything we have witnessed in this country and to have a government that serves the people, not one that serves an individual (Netanyahu).' In response to the latest polls, Netanyahu said on Friday, 'Our right-wing government is in danger; Gantz and Lapid have pulled ahead by 4-5 seats; if our supporters do not collectively go to the polls, Gantz and Lapid's leftist government is on the way.' With four days left until the elections, according to Channel 12, the State Comptroller has asked the Attorney General to investigate the newly disclosed multimillion-dollar shares of Benjamin Netanyahu in a new case. Netanyahu confirmed last month that he purchased shares in a company somehow related to the German industrial conglomerate ThyssenKrupp and later sold them for 16 million shekels (about 4.5 million dollars). Netanyahu emphasized that he made a completely legal transaction based on his 'economic sense.' The names of several wealthy relatives of Netanyahu, such as cousins and nephews, are also mentioned in this matter. However, given that ThyssenKrupp is the manufacturer of submarines that were supposed to be delivered to the Israeli army in a deal, but later Netanyahu secretly agreed to deliver the submarines to Egypt without informing other senior officials, Benny Gantz and the Blue and White coalition have claimed that Netanyahu has likely 'played with the security of the country, which is the most sacred issue for Israel' in this military deal. According to German media reports, institutions in that country will also re-examine the ThyssenKrupp case. Netanyahu's multimillion-dollar income from his stock trading comes while three other cases against him remain open with the Israeli Attorney General. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has stated that he will resume the three cases for which Netanyahu was interrogated for nearly three years about four months after the elections. Israeli media report that Netanyahu's supporters are seeking to pass a law after forming the next government and Knesset to prohibit any investigation and trial against Netanyahu for as long as he remains Prime Minister. Netanyahu has stated in recent interviews with local media that he has 'no connection' to efforts to pass such a law.