Angus Reid Global Monitor) - One-in-four Israelis would pick Benjamin Netanyahu as their head of government, according to a poll by Dialog released by Haaretz. 26 per cent of respondents would like the Likud leader to become prime minister again.
Shimon Peres of the Kadima party is second with 11 per cent, followed by fellow party member and current foreign affairs minister Tzipi Livni with 10 per cent, former prime minister Ehud Barak of the Labour party with six per cent, current prime minister Ehud Olmert also with six per cent, and Labour’s Ami Ayalon with five per cent.
In March 2006, Israeli voters renewed the Knesset. Kadima, founded by former prime minister Ariel Sharon and led by Olmert, secured 29 seats. Labour, the Retired People’s Party (Gil) and the International Organization of Torah-observant Sephardic Jews (Shas) joined Kadima in a coalition. In October, the Israeli cabinet approved the addition of Israel Our Home to the government. Olmert’s coalition now has the support of 78 of the Knesset’s 120 members.
A preview of the so-called Winograd Report—which looked into Israel’s handling of last year’s conflict with Lebanon-based Hezbollah—was released on Apr. 30. The document, drafted by a special commission appointed by the prime minister to investigate Israel’s military and political actions during the war, found Olmert, defence minister Amir Peretz and then Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) chief of staff Dan Halutz responsible for "very serious failings" when making decisions throughout this period.
On May 3, Netanyahu called for Olmert’s resignation, declaring, "It is obvious that this government has lost all that was left of the public’s trust." Netanyahu served as prime minister from June 1996 to July 1999, and resigned from Sharon’s cabinet—where he held the finance portfolio—after opposing the "Disengagement Plan."
The Labour party will hold a leadership primary on May 28. The list of candidates includes Barak, Ayalon, Peretz, and current lawmakers Ophir Paz-Pines and Danny Yatom.
Polling Data
Who would you prefer as prime minister?
Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud)
 26% 
Shimon Peres (Kadima)
 11% 
Tzipi Livni (Kadima)
 10% 
Ehud Barak (Labour)
 6% 
Ehud Olmert (Kadima)
 6% 
Ami Ayalon (Labour)
 5% 
Original Source