Who is Gadi Eisenkot? The ex-army chief taking on Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel election
The election is the first since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza.
“Netanyahu is a caretaker prime minister, without a mandate or the people’s trust,” he said, urging the security establishment to “stand firm”. Former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as a key challenger to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu , with exit polls suggesting that his opposition bloc is running neck and neck with the incumbent’s camp in Israel’s election. Gadi Eisenkot has been described as a politician who embodies traits that set him apart from Netanyahu. A former general and leader of the opposition Yashar party, Eisenkot, is seen as more unpolished and direct than Netanyahu, whose political style has often been characterised as slick. Eisenkot had also warned Netanyahu against using national security for political purposes. Eisenkot served as an observer in Netanyahu’s war cabinet but resigned after eight months, accusing the prime minister of lacking a clear strategy. He argued that Israel had failed to achieve its stated objective of destroying Hamas’ military and governing capabilities.
Turnout reached 77.7%, the highest since 1999, according to Israel’s Central Elections Committee. The coalition arithmetic remains complicated by the role of Arab parties. Final results and coalition negotiations will determine whether Eisenkot can assemble sufficient support to replace Netanyahu.