Ben Gvir preferred successor of Netanyahu among coalition supporters: poll

A survey conducted by Israeli outlet Maariv shows that 24 percent of backers of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government bloc would choose far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir as a preferred candidate after the current prime minister is no longer in office.

The survey, conducted on 10 and 11 July, gives Ben Gvir a wide lead ahead of ex-Mossad chief Yossi Cohen (14 percent) and Bezalel Smotrich, head of the far-right Religious Zionism party (11 percent).

The poll also asked respondents, 500 Israeli adults, who they would vote for if elections were held today, with results being similar to previous surveys. Benny Gantz’s National Unity would win 24 Knesset seats to Likud’s 20, with the current coalition only getting 50 seats compared to their current 64.