Legislative elections in Israel are showing signs of shifting momentum, with recent polling suggesting that Benjamin Netanyahu's political coalition may now hold a slight lead. A survey by Channel 13, released on Wednesday, September 16, indicated that Netanyahu's coalition would win 54 seats in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, compared to 52 for the opposition bloc led by former general Gadi Eisenkot. This result marks the first time a poll has shown Netanyahu's group in the lead, reversing earlier predictions where both sides were tied or the opposition had the advantage. Netanyahu, who is currently fighting to stay in power, still falls short of the 61 seats needed for an absolute majority. His party, Likud, has dropped to 18 seats in the latest poll, its lowest score in recent months. This places Likud four seats behind Yashar, the party of his rival Eisenkot. Netanyahu has faced challenges recently, including revelations that he may have ignored warnings from the United Arab Emirates about the risk of a major Hamas attack before October 7. Despite this, he continues to campaign on security issues and promises to "change the face of the Middle East" once again. Netanyahu must carefully manage his coalition, which includes hardline figures such as Itamar Ben Gvir, head of the ultra-nationalist Jewish Power party, and Bezalel Smotrich, the extreme-right finance minister from the religious Zionist party. Both are credited with 8 and 7 seats respectively in the latest poll. Additionally, Netanyahu must avoid angering two other ultra-orthodox parties, each with 7 seats, whose support depends on military exemptions for students. Balancing these factions is crucial for maintaining his political position. As the October 27 elections approach, Netanyahu is intensifying his rhetoric, focusing on security and military achievements. He claims to have "changed the face of the Middle East" and expressed satisfaction with Israel's progress in conflicts with Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. However, these areas are experiencing severe humanitarian crises, with two million people living in increasingly confined spaces under dire conditions. Netanyahu has vowed to "bring down the Iranian regime and completely destroy Hezbollah and Hamas," vowing to "settle accounts with these murderers" responsible for the October 7 attacks. At the same time, Netanyahu is capitalizing on the controversy surrounding the documentary "NAZA," which was praised at the Venice Film Festival and features anonymous Israeli sources accusing the military of killing many civilians in Gaza. The film has sparked a wave of threats and intimidation from the right and far-right, targeting its authors and their families. Almost all political figures have condemned the documentary, and Netanyahu has proposed a bill to "deprive people of their citizenship who defame soldiers of Tsahal." These developments highlight the growing nationalist fervor in the lead-up to the elections.