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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in closed-door talks that his Likud party would lose the upcoming legislative elections “unless something changes,” Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported.
Netanyahu acknowledged that his party had lost 10 seats, according to the report.
“I do not know how to get them back,” he reportedly said.
KAN said Netanyahu’s remarks showed that he is skeptical of opinion polls that favor him and believes his party’s position is worse than reflected in those surveys.
The broadcaster also reported that Netanyahu has not yet determined the nature of his election campaign.
Likud denied the claims in a statement to KAN, saying the report did not reflect the truth.
“Fake news. You are looking at the wrong polls. Likud will win the elections under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu,” the party said.
Israeli media polls have shown different results.
Several surveys show the Yashar party, led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, ahead of Likud, while polls by media outlets close to the right wing show more favorable results for Netanyahu.
According to the latest poll conducted by Israel’s Channel 13, if elections were held today, Eisenkot’s party would win 24 seats, while Netanyahu’s Likud would win 19.
The results show the opposition bloc led by Eisenkot reaching 57 seats, Netanyahu’s coalition bloc winning 48 seats and parties representing Palestinian citizens of Israel securing 15 seats.
A government in Israel requires the support of at least 61 lawmakers in the 120-seat Knesset.
In the same poll, 46% of respondents said Eisenkot was suitable to be prime minister, while support for Netanyahu stood at 35%.
Nineteen percent said they were undecided.
The poll showed Eisenkot’s party down two seats from Channel 13’s previous survey last week, while Likud fell from 23 seats to 19.
General elections are scheduled for Oct. 27 and are seen as crucial to Netanyahu’s political future as he faces corruption allegations, accusations of authoritarianism and criticism over his handling of the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu, 76, has led what has been described as the most right-wing government in Israel’s history since late December 2022.
He is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip since Israel launched its deadly war on the enclave in October 2023.
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