Among all Israelis, just 29% think the upcoming vote will offer a decisive answer regarding the identity of the next prime minister, while supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party are far more optimistic, at 52%, the survey found.
The IDI survey respondents were also asked about Netanyahu’s corruption cases, with 59% of them saying they oppose halting his trial if he succeeds in forming a government, while 32% believe his trial should be suspended.
Netanyahu faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in three cases, as well as bribery in one of them. He has denied wrongdoing and claimed that the charges are an effort by political rivals, the media, law enforcement, and prosecutors to remove him from office.
The poll also showed that while a majority of Jewish Israelis — 53% — still oppose a coalition that relies on support from Arab-majority parties, there has been a marked increase in support for Arab-Jewish political cooperation, particularly among those who identify as centrist or right-wing.
Support for the idea among left-wing Jewish Israelis has grown since September 2019 from 71% to 79%, among centrists from 31% to 47%, and among right-wingers from just 5% to 21%.
At the same time, a majority of Arab Israelis — 74% — oppose having an Arab party in a coalition.
In recent years, Arab-majority parties have grown in size, reaching a peak of over 12% of votes cast in the 2020 election, when the Joint List won 15 seats, becoming the second-largest opposition party.
Following the second 2019 election, most Joint List members recommended Blue and White leader Benny Gantz for prime minister, marking the first time Arab parties — separately or together — had recommended a mainstream Zionist politician since Yitzhak Rabin in 1992.
The March 23 election was called after the power-sharing government of Likud and Blue and White failed to agree on a budget by a December 23 deadline. The election, like the previous three votes, is largely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s rule amid his ongoing trial on corruption charges, as well as his government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
