Israel Elections Poll, Netanyahu's Crypto Plan, and Hebron Operation

The political landscape in Israel is experiencing intense shifts as the upcoming elections draw closer. According to the final Channel 12 poll broadcasted on 'Ulpan Shishi', the newly formed 'Yashar' party, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, has captured the lead with 23 projected mandates. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party follows right behind with 21 mandates, reflecting a modest increase of two seats compared to previous surveys. Other notable contenders include Naftali Bennett's unified faction with 15 mandates and The Democrats holding steady at 10 seats. When tallying the broader political blocs, current coalition parties reach a combined total of 50 mandates, while the Zionist-led change bloc commands 56 seats, alongside 14 mandates held by Arab parties.

When voters were asked about preferred candidates for prime minister, Eisenkot maintained an advantage over Netanyahu, securing 44 percent of support to Netanyahu's 38 percent. Meanwhile, matchups involving Bennett and Netanyahu resulted in a dead heat at 39 percent each. Several smaller factions, such as Ofer Winter's 'Am Yisrael' and Yoaz Hendel's reserve-focused economic party, currently fail to cross the electoral threshold, polling at 2.5 percent and 2.4 percent respectively.

Beyond electoral polling, Prime Minister Netanyahu generated significant economic controversy during a recent media appearance on the economic channel. Responding to questions from broadcaster Roy Katz, Netanyahu acknowledged genuine concerns regarding potential international economic sanctions against Israel. He revealed that he has instructed relevant bodies to formulate contingency plans incorporating cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology to bypass traditional banking restrictions should sanctions materialize. Although Netanyahu clarified that no such restrictive measures have officially been enacted yet, the proposition immediately drew sharp criticism from economists and political rivals.

Shaul Meridor, a former head of the Ministry of Finance's budget department and currently running on Eisenkot's ticket, harshly condemned the proposal. Meridor argued that preparing an isolationist economic framework signals a catastrophic failure of governance, warning that Israel's financial stability fundamentally relies on robust integration with Western economies, especially the United States. Other political figures, such as Yisrael Beiteinu MK Oded Forer, similarly decried the vision, asserting that normalizing the threat of economic isolation pushes the nation toward an unsustainable economic trajectory.

In tandem with political and economic debates, security concerns have intensified dramatically on the ground. A shooting attack near the Yehuda Junction resulted in the deaths of two IDF soldiers: Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roitman, 23, and Sergeant Yuval Shay Soylem, 20. Three additional soldiers sustained injuries ranging from moderate to light. Military assessments indicate that the targeted unit successfully prevented a much larger civilian massacre through their swift engagement. In direct response to the attack, the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet initiated a sweeping counter-terrorism operation throughout the Hebron region, targeting terrorist infrastructure and potential accomplices in a campaign expected to last several days.