Former Israeli defense chief Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as a leading challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections scheduled for October. Eisenkot’s newly established centrist party, Yashar! (“Straight!” in Hebrew), has surged in opinion polls to become the primary competitor to Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party.
Israel is required to hold elections by October 27, with the vote most likely to occur on October 20. Current polls indicate a potentially fragmented outcome, as neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition appear poised to secure an outright majority. This dynamic sets the stage for a coalition government, a typical feature of Israeli politics involving multiple parties.
Netanyahu, 76, the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history, continues to face significant political challenges. Recent surveys reveal that a majority of Israelis are in favor of his departure, a sentiment fueled in part by public dissatisfaction with the government’s security performance, particularly the perceived lapses during the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
Eisenkot, 66, served as Israel’s defense chief from 2015 to 2019 and transitioned into politics thereafter. He is recognized for his extensive military expertise, especially regarding Hezbollah in Lebanon. Born in Tiberias to Moroccan immigrant parents and now a father of five, Eisenkot is regarded as a grounded and relatable figure. His personal losses in the ongoing Gaza conflict—his son and two nephews were killed—have drawn public sympathy and contrast with Netanyahu’s experience, whose son Yair has been residing abroad since the conflict’s escalation and did not serve in a combat role.
Eisenkot has taken a moderate political stance, voicing opposition to the current government’s efforts to exempt ultra-Orthodox men from mandatory military service. On the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he has criticized resettlement plans in the Gaza Strip but also described the two-state solution as “irrelevant” in the wake of Hamas’s attacks. Furthermore, Eisenkot has previously cautioned against Israeli military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, arguing such action should only be considered if Israel faced a direct existential threat from Tehran.
Netanyahu’s political position is further complicated by ongoing legal proceedings. On June 24, a Justice Ministry spokesperson confirmed that Netanyahu had completed his testimony in a long-standing corruption trial, making him the first sitting Israeli prime minister to stand trial on such charges. Netanyahu has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
The upcoming election will thus unfold against the backdrop of a deeply polarized electorate, security concerns, and unresolved legal controversies, with Eisenkot’s rise adding a new dimension to the Israeli political landscape.