Amid Ceasefire in Lebanon, Netanyahu's Northern Stronghold Wavers, Likud Support Plummets

June 4 — Following the Lebanon ceasefire agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing fierce backlash from voters in the north, where support for his Likud party has plummeted, per a new Reuters poll. Many northern voters are demanding tougher military action against Hezbollah, blaming Netanyahu for pushing through a rushed ceasefire under U.S. pressure. Poll data shows Likud’s expected vote share in the northern region has fallen to 23%, down sharply from the 35% it won in the 2022 general election. The northern voter loss rate is roughly three times the national average, and nearly 70% of respondents disapprove of the government’s handling of the Lebanon conflict. With Israeli elections set for no later than October, the opposition is intensifying its focus on the northern stronghold. Former IDF Chief of Staff and prime ministerial candidate Gadi Eisenkot has been campaigning aggressively in border areas, advocating for continued strikes against Hezbollah targets and accusing the government of trading the ceasefire for political gains. Local residents widely maintain Hezbollah’s ongoing rocket and drone threat has not been eliminated, and hope the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will escalate military operations. Some voters also claim Netanyahu has been overly influenced by the Trump administration on security policies. Despite the ceasefire agreement requiring Hezbollah to withdraw from southern Lebanon, Netanyahu has stated the IDF will continue military operations in the area in the short term. Analysts note the sharp shift in northern voter sentiment is mounting growing political pressure on his ruling coalition.