JERUSALEM, March 7 (Reuters) - Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyau and three other likely rival candidates for top office would easily beat the incumbent, Ehud Olmert, if elections were held now, an opinion poll showed on Wednesday.

The Channel Ten television survey found that just 3 percent of Israelis would vote to re-elect Olmert, whose centrist government has been dogged by scandals and criticism over last year's inconclusive war against Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas.

Netanyahu of the right-wing Likud Party, who is Israeli opposition leader, would take 30 percent of votes.

Following him in popularity were retired admiral Ami Ayalon and former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, both of the centre-left Labour party, who were seen taking 18 and 12 percent of votes respectively. Labour will hold a primary election in late May.

Israel's next national elections are scheduled for 2010 but political commentators have speculated that Olmert could be forced to step down if a probe into the failings of the Lebanon war finds him personally responsible. He has denied wrongdoing.

The governing coalition composed of Olmert's Kadima party, Labour and smaller factions might also fall apart, denying him a parliamentary majority and triggering early elections. Such a possibility has been bolstered by reports of bickering between Olmert and Defence Minister Amir Peretz, the Labour leader.

Seventy-two percent of Channel Ten's respondents said Olmert should quit, against 17 percent who said he should stay on.

The poll found a fairly even split between those who oppose Olmert over the war and those who oppose him over the political scandals. "The people want early elections," Netanyahu said at a televised news conference.

Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman of the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party would take 7 percent of votes if elections were held today, the Channel Ten poll found.

The only candidate to score lower than Olmert was Peretz, who was seen taking 1 percent of votes.

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