This week’s survey of the “Kav Itona’ut ” and “The Scoop”, involved over 20,000 respondents, who examined who is the preferred candidate in the eyes of the chareidi tzibur to replace Binyamin Netanyahu as prime minister. The participants in the survey were four options: former Interior Minister Gideon Saar, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, the four names leading the Likud leadership.

The results are clear: 58.96% of the public are convinced that former Education and Interior Minister Gideon Saar is the preferred candidate for the chareidim to replace Binyamin Netanyahu as Likud leader. Saar is careful to maintain close ties with the chareidi tzibur.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, who is expected to run for prime minister in the future, receives only 15.84% of support after a long term of friction with the sector during his terms as mayor. Minister Gilad Erdan, who did not officially announce his candidacy, received a handsome 13.42%. And in the last place was Minister Yisrael Katz, whose status in the chareidi public suffered a severe blow after the struggle surrounding Chilul Shabbos and Israel Railways maintenance. Only 10.82% of the respondents think he is the preferred candidate for the chareidi public.

The poll also examined who the chareidi tzibur trusts and believes in the cases currently being investigated against the prime minister. Does that of the prime minister who claims that this is political persecution with the aim of ousting him, or that of the police who claims that it is doing its job? Or was the truth somewhere in the middle?

Most of the chareidi public (61.69%) believes the prime minister’s version of “there will be nothing” and thinks that he should remain prime minister.

On the other hand, 26.40% refuse to believe the arguments of the police and the prime minister, preferring to wait for the Attorney General’s position as to whether to file an indictment.

6.46% of the respondents believe Israel Police but do not think PM Netanyahu should resign. 5.5% believe police and believe Netanyahu should step down immediately.

It is pointed out the poll was taken prior to Nir Hefetz signing to become a state witness against PM Netanyahu.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)