Just over half of Israelis, or 52 per cent, do not think that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be offered a plea bargain in which he would admit to the corruption charges against him and retire from public life without a trial.

In addition, 58 per cent of Israelis do not think that Netanyahu would agree to such a deal.

The findings of the September Israeli Voice Index — a monthly survey conducted by the Guttman Centre at the Israel Democracy Institute — were released today as the pre-indictment hearings into three corruption cases against Netanyahu began at the Justice Ministry in Jerusalem.

The monthly poll also found that some 64 per cent of Jewish Israelis prefer a unity government; only 15 per cent preferred a third round of elections. Among Arab Israelis, 33 per cent prefer a unity government, 17 per cent new elections and the rest have no clear preference.

The strongest support for a unity government was recorded among Blue and White and Yisrael Beiteinu party voters, and the weakest among voters for the haredi Orthodox parties.

Meanwhile, 74 per cent of Jewish Israelis oppose including Arab parties in the government or appointing an Arab minister – up significantly from January, when the opposition stood at 49 per cent. Among Arab Israelis, support for inclusion in the government has declined to 66 per cent – down from 76 per cent in January.