Israel elections: Amid Israel’s dwindling global reputation and the recent strategic defeat in the war against its arch nemesis Iran, former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot is emerging as a major political force and a challenger to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the upcoming general elections in the Jewish state.
Eisenkot, known for his tough stance on security, is among the top Israeli leaders that have opened a front against Netanyahu, who is facing serious corruption charges.
Who is Gadi Eisenkot?
Born into a Moroccan Jewish immigrant family, Gadi Eisenkot served in the Israeli military for nearly four decades, and rose within the army’s ranks to become the Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces from 2015 to 2019.
Post his military service, Eisenkot, 66, joined Israeli politics, and became a part of Netanyahu’s war cabinet after his son was killed in the Israeli war on Gaza. However, the former military chief later resigned from the war cabinet, citing Netanyahu’s lack of a clear strategy in the Gaza war.
While largely seen as a centrist or centre-left figure, Gadi Eisenkot is known for his tough, hardline stance on security, which was one of the primary reasons why he quit Netanyahu’s war cabinet.
Why Gadi Eisenkot is viewed as a major challenger for Benjamin Netanyahu?
Political analysts view Gadi Eisenkot as an outsider whose background is markedly different from Benjamin Netanyahu, a longtime political figure who hails from the US-educated elite, and is seen as a powerful politician with global connections.
However, unlike Netanyahu, Eisenkot is not a polarising or populist leader, but is seen as a common man’s leader striving to united the country, while remaining uncompromising on security, says Gideon Rahat, a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute.
Eisenkot’s appeal lies in the fact that he doesn’t look or speak like traditional politicians, and Israelis see him as a genuine and down-to-earth person, a stark contrast to Netanyahu, who is viewed as an elite, almost untouchable figure, even when he is facing facing trial on serious corruption charges.
How son’s death changed Eisenkot’s public image?
The death of his son and two nephews in the Israel’s war on Gaza is largely believed to have shaped Gadi Eisenkot’s public image in Israel.
His personal losses in the Gaza War are being viewed as martyrdom, giving Gadi Eisenkot an emotional connect to common Israelis, and a reputation that the soldier-turned politician understands the cost of war and not taking the sacrifices of soldiers lightly.
In December 2023, Gal Meir Eisenkot, Gadi’s 25-year-old son, was killed during an Israeli military operation in Gaza, while two of his nephews have also died in the Gaza War.
Why Gadi Eisenkot became Netanyahu’s biggest critic?
Gadi Eisenkot entered Israeli politics four years ago after winning a parliamentary seat as an independent candidate in 2022, and later joined Netanyahu’s war cabinet after the October 7 attacks.
However, he resigned in 2024, accusing Netanyahu of lacking a clear strategy in Gaza, and wrote a strongly-worded letter to cabinet members warning them of the fallacy of mistaking battlefield victories for decisions that could truly neutralize Hamas and secure Israel.
On June 30 last month, Eisenkot formally launched the poll campaign of his centrist party, Yashar, which is running on the campaign promise of restoring public trust in Israeli leadership following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent wars.
“This time it’s up to us. Will we turn a blind eye to the disaster that has befallen us? Will we accept continued division and move on to the next disaster? Or will we heal the wounds and rebuild?” Eisenkot said while launching the campaign.
Will Eisenkot election soften Israel’s stance?
Though seen as a centrist figure, Gadi Eisenkot broadly supports Israel’s military operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, but believes Netanyahu’s policies are isolating Israel globally, which he argues threatens the very future of the Jewish state.
Experts believe Eisenkot rise does not mean any softening of Israel’s regional policy, as he former IDF boss has dismissed demands for a Palestinian state as irrelevant and accused Netanyahu of yielding too easily to US pressure for a ceasefire in Lebanon to resolve the Iran conflict.
Eisenkot’s name is also associated with Israel’s infamous “Dahiyah Doctrine”, which was developed after the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006, and states that attacks by militant groups must be met with massive destruction and the use of excessive force in the areas from which they operate.
In a 2008 interview with an Israeli newspaper, Eisenkot had said that that every village that fires on Israel would be considered a military base and razed to the ground, and more recently, he criticized US President Donald Trump’s demands for a ceasefire, saying such demands bind the Israeli military’s hands.
Can Gadi Eisenkot defeat Benjamin Netanyahu?
Recent poll surveys show that Eisenkot’s Yashar is rapidly gaining momentum and could come in second to Netanyahu’s Likud party in terms of parliamentary seats, though neither party is expected to win a clear majority in the Israeli general elections, which are expected to be held by the end of October.
According to political analyst, Likud party may not be able to form the next government in Israel even if it emerges as the single largest party in the polls, giving Eisenkot to form a coalition government with parties of different ideologies, including the left-wing, centrist, and possibly Arab-led parties.
However, Netanyahu and his right-wing allies are using the possibility of support from Arab parties as a political offensive, and former PM Naftali Bennett’s party could also prove to be a major factor in the race.
Netanyahu recently launched a counter-offensive against Gadi Eisenkot, asserting that Gaza would be under the control of Hamas if he had listened to the former military chief’s advise.
First published on: Jul 06, 2026 05:19 PM IST
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