BICOM

Polls published by Israeli daily Ma’ariv show that if the election was today, the united Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu list would maintain a leading position (37 seats), versus 22 for the Labour Party, 14 for Shas and 9 for Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid list.  Disappointment among some voters at the ceasefire seems to have filtered through to election support, as the poll marks a drop for Likud Beiteinu (down from 43 seats on October 29) and a slight increase for the Labour Party (up from 20 seats).  However, the poll shows a clear majority for the right wing bloc, with 70 seats, which would enable Netanyahu to easily form a coalition.

The end of Operation Pillar of Defence signals a return to political campaigning ahead of elections on 22 January.  Likud’s primaries are going ahead as scheduled on Sunday and Labour’s primaries will take place later next week. Former Kadima leader Tzippi Livni is rumored to be forming a new party, with the formal announcement due next week that Olmert will not run for the Knesset and that Livni will attempt to lead a list including many former Kadima