JERUSALEM

A former Israeli spymaster is seen as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's successor, according to a recent survey conducted by the Jewish state's Lazar Research Institute.

The Israeli public sees former Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen as Netanyahu's successor, the institute said in its report released following the survey conducted in Israel.

In a survey conducted on 500 Israeli Jews and Arabs, “21% of participants prefer former Mossad Chief Cohen to succeed Netanyahu as the leader of the Likud Party, and the leader of the ruling coalition.”

“13% of those surveyed see former Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar as an appropriate successor of Netanyahu. While 12% selected Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as a better candidate to succeed Prime Minister Netanyahu,” the institute said.

It added that “11% see Economy Minister Nir Barkat as a possible successor for the Likud leadership.”

Moreover, 23% of survey participants stated that they did not prefer any of the names mentioned in the survey, while 20% abstained from expressing any opinion.

According to the results of the survey conducted on Likud voters, Cohen and Barkat were deemed suitable for the party leadership with 26%, Gallant with 17%, and Sa'ar with 5%.

While 15% of survey participants did not prefer any of the names mentioned, 11% abstained.

According to another poll published by the Maariv newspaper, only 29% of Israelis believe that Netanyahu is suitable to lead the government.

On the other hand, 50% find former Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz suitable for this position. Twenty-one percent did not express any opinions on the issue.

The survey results reveal that the support for Likud among the Israeli public has decreased, while the support for the opposition National Unity Bloc led by Gantz has increased.

According to the survey, if elections were held in the near future, the National Unity Bloc would win 42 seats, while Likud, which currently has 120 seats in the Israeli parliament, would win 17 seats.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid's party Yesh Atid can get 14 seats in the parliament, the right-wing opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party led by Avigdor Liberman can get eight seats, the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Shas Party can also win eight seats, and United Torah Judaism Party can get seven seats.

The far-right Otzma Yehudit Party led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, alongside the Ra'am Party, the Hadash Party, and the United Arab List Party can get five seats each.

Meanwhile, the far-right Religious Zionist party, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and the leftist Meretz Party can win four seats each.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi