Who is Gadi Eizenkot, the man challenging Netanyahu?

Israel’s political landscape is witnessing a seismic shift as the opposition camp—featuring the former Chief of Staff and leader of the Yashar party, Gadi Eisenkot—gains ground against the camp of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to preliminary election results.

These developments unfold amid anticipation for the final tallies, which will determine the balance of power within the Knesset and the prospects for forming the next government.

Eisenkot stands out as a prominent military and political figure in Israel. Having transitioned from leading the military to the political arena, he leverages his extensive security experience, alongside his sharp criticism of the government’s handling of the war and the failures that preceded the attacks of October 7, 2023.

Given these indicators, attention is now focused on his ability to garner parliamentary support and assemble a governing coalition—though the ultimate question of who will lead the government remains contingent upon the official results and subsequent negotiations between the parties.

Who is Gadi Eizenkot?

Born on May 19, 1960, in Tiberias and raised in Eilat, Gadi Eizenkot comes from a Jewish family of Moroccan descent.

According to CNN, he began his military service in 1978, joining the Golani Brigade—one of the Israeli military’s most prominent infantry units—and subsequently rose through various leadership positions over the course of four decades.

Eizenkot served as the head of the Northern Command, which oversees the Lebanese and Syrian fronts, and also held the position of Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

In February 2015, he was appointed as the 21st Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli military, a role he held until January 2019.

During his tenure as Chief of Staff, he focused on advancing Israel’s military capabilities, strengthening readiness to confront Hezbollah, and curbing the entrenchment of an Iranian military presence in Syria.

He also worked on modernizing operational, intelligence, and armament systems.

Eizenkot entered political life in 2022, joining the National Unity alliance led by Benny Gantz. He later served in the Israeli emergency government that was formed following the October 7, 2023, attacks and the ensuing war.

During his participation in the War Cabinet as an observer, disagreements emerged between him and Netanyahu regarding the conduct of the war, the future of the Gaza Strip, and the necessity of establishing a clear political vision for the subsequent phase.

He ultimately left the government alongside Gantz in June 2024.

The losses of the war were also personal – his 25-year-old son, Gal, was killed during military operations in the Gaza Strip in December 2023. Additionally, two of his nephews were also killed during the conflict.

Politically, Eisenkot has called for an investigation into the security and intelligence failures that preceded the October 7 attacks, and for those responsible to be held accountable.

This issue has become a central theme in his criticism of the current government.

The Yashar Party: A Challenge To Likud

In September 2025, following his departure from the National Unity alliance, Eisenkot founded the Yashar party—a move aimed at establishing an independent political framework to compete with the Likud party, led by Netanyahu.

The party positions itself as a centrist political force with a focus on security, prioritizing the reform of government performance, the conduct of an official inquiry into the failures of October 7, and the strengthening of accountability within the management of both military and civilian institutions.

Key Issues Raised by Eisenkot

• Security accountability:

  Pushing for a comprehensive, formal investigation into the failures that preceded the attacks of October 7, 2023.

• The relationship between the military and politics:

  Opposing the assignment of security responsibilities in the West Bank to ministers from the far-right, and calling for a reorganization of how security matters are managed.

• Military conscription:

  Supporting the end of the broad exemptions from military service currently granted to Haredi—or ultra-Orthodox—Jews, a highly sensitive issue within Israeli society.

• Regional Security:

  Adopting a hardline stance toward Iran, with a focus on preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons and countering military threats surrounding Israel.

• The Palestinian Issue:

  Eisenkot does not explicitly endorse the establishment of an independent Palestinian state as an immediate solution, nor does he categorically oppose Israeli settlements—though he has criticized certain settlement projects and government policies in the West Bank.

The Yashar party therefore does not represent a complete break from Israel’s traditional security approach; rather, it focuses on changing the political leadership, improving the management of institutions, and re-examining accountability for security failures.

Why Is Eisenkot Challenging Netanyahu?

Eisenkot’s bid comes after years in which Israel has experienced multiple wars, intense political polarization, and disputes over who bears responsibility for the October 7 attacks—not to mention ongoing controversy regarding the conduct of the war in Gaza and Israel’s relations with the US and the broader international community.

Eisenkot is seeking to leverage his military experience and his prior service in the war cabinet to position himself as a political alternative to Netanyahu, tapping into growing demands for accountability and a change in leadership.

Initial indicators reveal a significant paradox: a numerical advantage for the opposition bloc does not necessarily translate into the ability to form a government.

Israel’s parliamentary system requires the construction of a coalition capable of securing a 61-seat majority—a reality that makes Arab parties, smaller political factions, and undecided political forces critical factors in any future negotiations.

Significance of Preliminary Indicators

If the opposition camp’s lead is confirmed in the final results, Israel will enter a period of intensive negotiations to determine who will become the next prime minister and what the makeup of the governing coalition will be.

While this could strengthen Eisenkot’s position within the opposition, it does not guarantee that he will be the one tasked with forming the government.

Conversely, if the opposition fails to secure a majority, the political stalemate may persist, or new coalition arrangements—transcending existing political alignments—could emerge.

Three factors remain decisive in determining the outcome:

1. The number of seats the Yeshar party secures.
2. The ability of the opposition camp to unite its constituent parts.
3. The positions of the parties that could tip the scales in favor of one side or the other during negotiations to form a government.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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