Retired IDF Chief Gadi Eisenkot Challenges Netanyahu in Israeli Election

Israel's election on Oct. 27 will pit long-time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against retired Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot, the former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces. Eisenkot, 66, leads the centrist Yashar party, which recent polls indicate holds a slight advantage over Netanyahu's Likud. To form a government, either party must assemble a coalition that commands at least 61 seats in the Knesset.

Eisenkot, born in Tiberias to a Jewish-Moroccan family and raised in Eilat, rose through the infantry and served as IDF chief of staff from 2015 to 2019. Journalist Yossi Melman described him as "a soldier, very brave and humble, an officer and gentleman," noting his modesty in declining the chief-of-staff role initially in favor of General Benny Gantz.

After the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, Eisenkot joined Netanyahu's war cabinet as a minister without portfolio. He resigned eight months later, citing disagreements over the government's strategic approach. The conflict claimed the lives of his son, Master Sergeant Gal Eisenkot, and two nephews.

Military historian Danny Orbach said Eisenkot's record includes both notable successes and criticisms, pointing to his role in shaping the IDF before Oct. 7 and the controversial "conceptzia" regarding Hamas. Orbach added that Eisenkot has emerged as the primary alternative to Netanyahu, though his political resolve on foreign policy remains uncertain.

Analyst Nadav Eyal highlighted Eisenkot's reputation as one of the most successful recent chiefs of staff and noted his experience in counter-Hezbollah operations. He suggested that an Eisenkot-led government could address issues such as extremist violence in the West Bank and Israel's international standing.

The election outcome is expected to be decided in the days following the vote, as coalition negotiations determine which party can secure the required parliamentary majority.