Yashar Ties Likud at 23 Seats as Eisenkot Overtakes Netanyahu

A Kantar survey released during the campaign says Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud are tied at 23 seats each, the first such tie in this survey series. Bennett and Lapid's Beyachad holds 16 seats, while the current coalition stands at 53 and Netanyahu's opponents reach 67 when Arab parties are included. The same poll puts Eisenkot narrowly ahead of Netanyahu on prime-minister suitability, 41% to 40%, while Netanyahu still leads Bennett, 41% to 33%. With elections expected by late October, Israel's campaign is becoming a serious test of wartime leadership, unity, draft policy and who can keep pressure on Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran while holding the Jewish state together.