Netanyahu popularity in decline on all levels, poll shows
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing an uphill battle politically as his highly controversial actions continue to affect his already-dwindling popularity.
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A protester wears a shirt depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a demonstration to demand the release of the captives taken during Operation al-Aqsa Flood, in 'Tel Aviv', occupied Palestine, January 20, 2024 (AP)
A recent poll conducted by Israeli Channel 13 sheds light on the current preferences for the leadership of the Israeli regime, and incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be hitting absolute rock bottom at a time of war.
The survey, conducted among a diverse cross-section of Israeli settlers, indicates that if elections were held today, former Israeli occupation forces chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot would garner 45% of the vote, while Netanyahu trails with 32%.
In a hypothetical face-off between opposition leader Benny Gantz and Netanyahu, Gantz leads with 48%, leaving Netanyahu at 30%.
Similarly, if the competition were between former Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Netanyahu, Lapid would garner 36% of the vote compared to Netanyahu's 41%.
When asked about the motivations behind Netanyahu's decisions during times of war, 53% of respondents believe personal motives and issues guide his actions, while 33% perceive that the interests of the Israeli occupation are the driving force behind his decision-making process.
The survey delved into public opinion on a potential peace deal involving a cessation of hostilities and a prisoner exchange. Results show that 35% of respondents support such a deal, while 46% oppose it. A notable 19% remain undecided on the matter.
A new indication of a major division in "Israel's" war leadership has surfaced, following the former Israeli chief Gadi Eisenkot's call for elections within months, the Financial Times reported.
"Whoever speaks of absolute defeat is not speaking the truth,” Eisenkot told the Israeli Channel 12 a couple of hours after Netanyahu vowed to continue the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip until what he called "complete victory" over Hamas.
Eisenkot staunchly opposes Netanyahu
Eisenkot, a centrist minister and observer to the country's war cabinet whose son was killed in battles in Gaza last month, called it necessary to hold elections and renew the trust because there is "no trust" in the current government, who he accused of "selling fantasies" to the public.
The Minister called it "impossible" to retrieve Israeli captives without an agreement with Hamas and called for a halt to the war on Gaza for a “significant” time to implement the hypothetical deal.
Eisenkot expressed that releasing captives should be the main priority of the Israeli government and that this cannot happen using only military methods.
The New York Times detailed in a recent report that public sentiment in Israeli society is shifting from grief to indignation.
Netanyahu, on the other hand, stated in a press conference that "Israel" must "take control" of all "land west of the River Jordan," which would hinder the "two-state solution" concept.
US officials have been pressuring Netanyahu to move into the "low-intensity" stage of the war in order to "minimize civilian casualties" as global and public pressure grows on Washington for its support for the genocide.
Responding to the requests, he said the war on the Strip could take "many more months" and that "Israel" "will not settle for anything short of absolute victory," referring to previously declared objectives of "eliminating" the Palestinian Resistance and imposing a government without the participation of Resistance groups.
When asked whether he trusted Netanyahu, Eisenkot stated, "I am already at the stage and at an age where I do not trust this or that leader with my eyes closed, and I judge a man by his decisions and the way he leads the country."
Netanyahu putting cabinet before 'Israel', media say on West Bank
The Israeli occupation sees that the occupied West Bank is "on the brink of implosion," Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Tuesday amid heightened tensions and warning from the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) and the Shin Bet about escalations in the West Bank.
The Israeli newspaper underlined that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prefers to jeopardize "Israel" rather than his government, which relies on expansionism and far-right supremacy, which it added could be concluded from Netanyahu repeatedly ignoring warnings issued by the IOF and various Israeli intelligence regarding his actions.
The report cited the double operation that took place in "Ra'anana", "Tel Aviv", killing at least one settler and injuring 20 others, saying it was an indication of an upcoming wave of similar operations.
The deterioration of security in the occupied West Bank and the probability of opening up another front in the war would constitute a huge threat to the Israeli occupation, Haaretz added.
