Ex-army chief Gadi Eisenkot emerges as Netanyahu’s top challenger ahead of Israel election

Former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as the strongest challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s fiercely contested general election on October 27, with recent polls showing his newly formed Yashar party narrowly leading Netanyahu’s Likud.

A Channel 12 survey projects Yashar to win 23 seats in the 120-member Knesset, compared with 22 for Likud, while 43% of respondents said Eisenkot would make the best prime minister, against 34% for Netanyahu.

The election is widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and the subsequent Gaza war.

A former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, Eisenkot has built his campaign around a 10-point platform focused on strengthening national security, restoring public trust and protecting democratic institutions. He has pledged to establish an independent state commission to investigate the October 7 attack, accusing the current government of failing to ensure accountability.

Eisenkot also proposes a new long-term national security strategy, including mandatory national service for ultra-Orthodox Jews and Arab citizens, ending exemptions that have become a major political flashpoint. He has also vowed to safeguard judicial independence, minority rights, the rule of law and press freedom.

On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Eisenkot has offered few new policy details, though analysts say he is expected to take a tougher stance against illegal settlements and settler violence while prioritizing the rule of law.

The former general has gained public sympathy after losing his son and two nephews in the Gaza conflict. His military background and measured public image have helped him attract centrist voters as well as conservatives seeking an alternative to Netanyahu.

Political analysts say Eisenkot’s growing support has come at the expense of other opposition figures, including Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, making him the opposition’s strongest contender to challenge Netanyahu in the upcoming vote.