Netanyahu survived his enemies. Can he survive his own voters?

His loyalists expect another comeback, but former supporters say the spell has broken as the nation heads toward an election As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fights to retain power, loyalists are crediting him with strengthening the country and defeating its enemies, while former supporters blame his leadership for October 7 and are seeking alternatives on both the left and the right.With less than a month to go before Israel’s elections, Netanyahu faces an uphill battle to retain power.But polls show it won’t be an easy task. A recent survey conducted by Maariv, one of Israel’s leading newspapers, estimates that his party, Likud, will only win 20 seats out of 120 total in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, a drop of 12 compared with its performance in the 2022 elections. Sinking ratingsThe decline in Likud’s ratings is hardly surprising. Netanyahu and his government have been blamed for failing to prevent the October 7, 2023 attacks, in which more than 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 people were taken to Gaza as hostages.He has also faced criticism for pursuing a series of controversial policies concerning the judiciary and the media; remaining in power amid graft pr...