JERUSALEM — Former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as the leading challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Israelis prepare to cast their ballots on Tuesday, Oct. 27, in an election that could reshape the nation’s political landscape.
Surveys published ahead of the vote show Eisenkot’s centrist Yashar party holding a slight advantage over Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud, CNN and Fox News reported. Projections suggest Yashar could capture 20 to 23 seats in the 120-member Knesset. However, because Israeli law requires a coalition of at least 61 seats to establish a government, neither the incumbent leader nor the opposition appears on track for an outright majority, raising the prospect of post-election paralysis.
From Career Soldier to Political Contender
Eisenkot, 66, spent four decades in the Israel Defense Forces, rising through the infantry ranks to serve as chief of staff from 2015 to 2019 under Netanyahu. Born in northern Israel to Moroccan Jewish immigrants and raised in Eilat, Eisenkot would become the country’s first prime minister of Moroccan descent if his coalition bid succeeds. His heritage contrasted sharply with traditional political power centers, and he faced ethnic barbs from pro-Netanyahu commentators during the campaign, triggering condemnation across the political spectrum, according to CNN.
The veteran commander joined Netanyahu’s emergency war cabinet without political conditions shortly after the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. The conflict took a devastating personal toll on Eisenkot’s family: his 25-year-old son, Master Sgt. Gal Eisenkot, was killed in combat in Gaza in December 2023, alongside two of Eisenkot’s nephews. Eisenkot and ally Benny Gantz stepped down from the government in June 2024, criticizing Netanyahu for failing to produce a clear post-war roadmap.
Security Hawk With a Domestic Reform Agenda
Despite campaigning under a banner of change, Eisenkot shares many of the prime minister’s hardline views on national defense. He backs the ongoing military efforts to dismantle Hamas and neutralize threats from Iran and Hezbollah, though he has argued that military force must be paired with diplomatic engagement. In a recent interview, Eisenkot dismissed the possibility of a two-state solution with Palestinians, calling advocates of the proposal detached from reality, CNN noted.
Yet Eisenkot presents distinct policy differences on governance and domestic affairs. He has pledged to launch an official state inquiry into the intelligence and operational failures of Oct. 7, an investigation Netanyahu has resisted. He also supports eliminating broad military draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men, a core demand of Netanyahu’s existing coalition partners.
Additionally, Eisenkot has pledged to crack down on extremist settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, an issue that has strained Israel’s ties with international partners. Military historian Danny Orbach told Fox News that an Eisenkot administration could help mend Israel’s fractured standing abroad by curbing right-wing ministers such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Coalition Obstacles and Washington Dynamics
The race has also played out against friction involving the United States. President Donald Trump weighed in Sunday with a complete endorsement of Netanyahu, warning that electing alternative leadership could complicate joint efforts against regional adversaries, Fox News and CNN reported. Israeli sources said Eisenkot and other opposition figures had tried unsuccessfully to urge the White House to maintain neutrality.
Because Israel’s president designates the lawmaker with the most viable route to a majority rather than simply the top vote-getter, Eisenkot’s path forward remains complex. To hit the 61-seat threshold, he would need to unite disparate factions from the left, center, and right, or potentially rely on outside support from Arab parties. Final election results and the ensuing coalition negotiations are expected to take several days or longer before a clear governing outcome is established.
