Netanyahu fights electoral decline by raising West Bank annexation issue

Facing disastrous poll numbers less than four months before legislative elections, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly exploring a risky political maneuver: annexing parts of the West Bank. This potential move aims to shift the electoral focus and rally support for his Likud party.

According to sources close to the prime minister cited by the Hebrew daily Maariv, Netanyahu is seriously considering extending Israeli sovereignty over "large areas of the West Bank." While not a finalized decision, the plan is said to be in an advanced stage of consideration. Internal Likud polling allegedly indicates that 41% of Israelis would support annexing the West Bank or significant portions of it, a figure that rises to 35% in general surveys.

Netanyahu's political standing has been severely impacted by recent polls. An Israeli Democracy Institute poll suggested 61% of Israelis do not believe the prime minister should run in the next election, with 57% of Jewish Israelis holding the same view. Furthermore, a Channel 12 poll indicated that 59% of respondents felt Netanyahu should leave politics immediately due to his handling of the conflict since October 7, 2023.

Adding to the political pressure, projections show an anti-Netanyahu bloc winning 59 to 60 seats in the Knesset, while Netanyahu's coalition is projected to secure only 50 to 51 seats. Neither bloc appears capable of forming a majority government without the support of Arab parties. Meanwhile, reports suggest that officials from the Trump administration are discreetly engaging with the Israeli opposition, signaling a potential widening gap between Washington and Tel Aviv.