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In early April, following the elections to the 23rd Knesset, the coronavirus pandemic saved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

It provided the rival camp, led by Blue and White alliance chair Benny Gantz and Labor leader Amir Peretz, with a reason or – some would argue – an excuse to forestall the fourth election within less than two years by joining a “unity” government headed by Netanyahu.

Six months, 1,500 pandemic fatalities and more than 800,000 newly jobless Israelis later, Netanyahu’s failed handling of the crisis is boosting the meteoric rise of his nemesis, Naftali Bennett, head of the right-wing Yamina alliance.

As Israel is struggling with containing a resurgent COVID-19 outbreak, the conservative high-tech entrepreneur who entered politics eight years ago is taking off in the polls.

A recent poll released by Channel 12 indicates that if elections were to be held now, Bennett’s Yamina would win enough