A survey conducted by Israel’s Channel 2 News at the weekend found that a firm majority of Israelis might no longer view Benjamin Netanyahu as the most capable prime minister when it comes to their personal safety.

Nearly three quarters (73%) of those polled said they were either “dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” with Netanyahu’s handling of the current wave of Palestinian terrorism targeting Israeli Jews.

When asked who was best suited to serve as prime minister during a time like this, 22 percent said former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, 17 percent voted for Education Minister Naftali Bennett, and just 15 percent chose Netanyahu.

This is a serious blow to the prime minister, who won the last national election based primarily on his image as the best candidate to keep Israel safe.

Over the weekend, Netanyahu released a statement explaining that he had ordered the mobilization of 16 additional Border Police companies to secure mixed Jewish-Arab cities across the country, and that his security cabinet would be discussing means of silencing the Muslims Brotherhood and its local branch, the Islamic Movement, which is inciting so much of the violence.