A Channel 14 poll conducted by NEXT DATA and released on Monday—just ahead of the final submission deadline for Knesset candidate slates—examined key political questions gripping the electorate alongside parliamentary seat projections, led by former IDF brigadier general Ofer Winter’s decision to mount an independent campaign.
2+Asked whether Winter made the right or wrong call by running independently, 51% of respondents answered that he was mistaken, compared to 31% who believed he made the right decision. Another 18% said they had no opinion. The sentiment aligns with the survey’s seat projections, where Winter’s “Amcha Yisrael” party garnered 3% of the overall vote, leaving it below the 3.25% electoral threshold.
The survey also gauged voter volatility leading into election day, asking participants how final their voting intention is at this juncture. A decisive 77% responded that their decision is completely finalized, while 22% indicated they remain undecided. Just 1% stated they had no opinion. The data suggests that despite recent high-profile mergers and political realignments heading into the slate-closing deadline, the vast majority of voters have already locked in their ballots.
2+In a separate question posed exclusively to coalition voters regarding responsibility for the failure to form a unified right-wing bloc, 65% pinned the blame for irresponsible conduct on Ofer Winter. Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir trailed far behind in second place with 14%, followed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at 8% and Religious Zionism chairman Bezalel Smotrich at 2%, with 11% expressing no opinion.
2+Coalition voters were also queried on which professional background they would prefer to see prioritized for Prime Minister Netanyahu’s reserved appointments on the Likud Knesset slate. The legal sector led preferences with 32%, followed by economics and business at 25% and defense/security backgrounds at 19%. Additionally, 11% preferred a reserved spot designated for a female candidate, 7% favored an IDF reservist representative, and 6% had no opinion.
NEXT DATA conducted the poll today, September 7, 2026, with participation from 1,057 adults from the general population. Data analysis: Shlomo Filber.