No clear leader in Israel as polls show Netanyahu and Eisenkot both unlikely to secure majority

News24 US Analyst Michael Ware says polling indicates that neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party or Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party are likely to be able to secure a majority in the upcoming election. ​“In Israel, security is a foremost concern, and that has been the great draw of Bibi Netanyahu. Israelis were prepared to invest in him politically because they saw him as the staunchest defender of Israel,” Mr Ware told News24. ​“We saw that with his response to the October 7 attacks, and his onslaught ongoing in Gaza, his invasions of Lebanon, and obviously his joint operations with the Americans last year in Iran and this year. ​“Gadi Eisenkot, a 40-year military veteran, does have a strong showing. He’s very popular because he’s perceived as a non-politician … but also he’s seen very much as an everyman despite his elevated military status.”