Netanyahu set to win Israel election but rightists gain: polls
(Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party is set to win a parliamentary election on January 22 although the popularity of a far-right party opposed to Palestinian statehood is growing, polls showed on Friday.
Two out of three surveys showed the right-wing Likud losing voters to political newcomer Naftali Bennett’s religious party Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home)and to a fractured center-left bloc. Bennett’s party platform rejects a two-state solution with the Palestinians and is staunchly in favor of settlement building in the occupied West Bank – an issue which has stalled peace talks.