Inside Gadi Eisenkot’s Bid to Oust Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel’s Election

POLICY WIRE — Jerusalem, Israel — Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as a formidable challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel’s recent general election. While votes from Tuesday’s election continue to be tallied, Eisenkot’s centrist Yashar party and its opposition allies hold a potential pathway to power if they can secure partnerships with Arab-led factions.

At 66 years old, Eisenkot has experienced a rapid political ascent. Raised by Moroccan-Jewish immigrants and marked by the personal tragedy of losing his son Gal Meir Eisenkot in Gaza combat, the hawkish and reserved leader now faces off against Netanyahu, a veteran politician renowned for his political resilience.

Initial exit polls prompted an ecstatic reaction from Eisenkot in Tel Aviv, where he proclaimed that millions of Israelis have rejected a culture of division and division. However, preliminary updates from the elections commission indicate that Netanyahu’s Likud party has pulled ahead, though neither major bloc has secured an outright majority in the Knesset.

To cross the threshold of 61 seats required for a majority, Eisenkot’s coalition—projected at 48 seats alongside allied parties—would need to bridge divides and cooperate with Arab-led parties, which captured 19 seats. While Likud has firmly ruled out such alliances, Eisenkot has kept options open, presenting a distinct alternative for Israel’s future leadership.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)