New Bennett-Lapid "Together" Slate Edges Out Likud in First Channel 12 Electoral Poll

The new "Together" alliance leads Likud with 26 seats in latest polling, though the Israeli political blocs remain stuck in a 50-60 deadlock.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 27, 2026, 4:11 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Times of Israel

The Emergence of a New Political Powerhouse

Following the high profile announcement of a joint electoral list, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid have seen their "Together" party immediately rise to the top of national polling. According to data released by Channel 12, the alliance would currently secure twenty six seats in the Knesset if elections were held today. This performance narrowly displaces Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, which sits at twenty five seats, marking a significant shift in the competitive hierarchy of Israeli politics.

Bloc Deadlock and the Arithmetic of Power

Despite the individual success of the Bennett-Lapid union, the fundamental balance of power between the major political blocs appears largely stagnant. The poll indicates that Netanyahu’s right wing coalition would only garner fifty out of the one hundred twenty available Knesset seats. Conversely, the Zionist opposition parties combined for sixty mandates, while Arab factions held ten. These figures suggest that while the "Together" slate has consolidated opposition support, it has yet to trigger a decisive migration of voters from the pro-government camp.

The Strategic Gamble of Opposition Mergers

The survey also explored the potential impact of further consolidation, specifically involving Gadi Eisenkot and his Yashar party. Data suggests that if Eisenkot were to merge his fifteen seats with the "Together" list, the resulting super faction would command forty one seats. However, even this massive consolidation would leave the overall bloc balance unaffected. Despite previously suggesting a merger in early 2026, Eisenkot has so far declined to join the Bennett-Lapid platform, preferring to maintain his party’s independent identity for the time being.