Israel: Majority oppose Netanyahu re-election, Cohen leads Likud preferences

A new Channel 12 poll reveals that 52% of Israelis believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should not run in the next election, while 41% say he should and 7% remain unsure. Nearly half of voters were undecided on his replacement, but former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen leads the internal Likud preference list with 10%, followed by ministers Ron Dermer and Israel Katz. Meanwhile, 44% of respondents say former PM Naftali Bennett should lead the opposition bloc—a signal of shifting political winds as Netanyahu faces mounting criticism, legal challenges, and questions about Israel’s leadership future.