A leading Israeli general who resigned from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war Cabinet after criticizing his lack of strategy in Gaza has become one of the premier’s most significant challengers in the fall elections.
His name is Gadi Eisenkot, and on Tuesday in Israel, his centrist political party “Yashar!” or “Straight!” was scheduled to formally launch its election campaign season.
His ascent from senior military ranks could intensify scrutiny of Netanyahu and his leadership during multiple wars. Similar to nearly all of the prime minister’s rivals, Eisenkot has generally supported Israeli military actions in areas including Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
However, he has also accused Netanyahu of strategic failure following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, asserting that his vision for a more isolated Israel poses a threat to the state's future.
In recent days, Netanyahu, who leads Israel’s right-wing Likud Party, responded by stating that had he listened to Eisenkot, who opposed certain operations in Gaza, “all of Hamas” would still be controlling the territory.
Yet, Gideon Rahat, a senior fellow at the Jerusalem-based Israel Democracy Institute think tank, noted that as a political newcomer, Eisenkot “looks like a front-runner because he’s everything Netanyahu is not.”
Rahat added, “He’s not polarizing, he’s not a populist like Netanyahu, and he will try to unify the country.”
An Anti-Netanyahu Biography
Eisenkot, 66 years old and son of Jewish Moroccan immigrants, contrasts sharply with Netanyahu, an elite figure educated in the U.S. who faces corruption charges. Eisenkot comes from a working-class background and his English is unpolished. He served four decades in Israel’s military.
Furthermore, he has never campaigned on ties to U.S. President Donald Trump. His 25-year-old son, Gal Meir Eisenkot, died in combat in Gaza, while Netanyahu's son, a podcaster, resided part-time in Florida.
Losing a son—as well as two nephews—to the war has increased Eisenkot’s profile among Israelis and lent him credibility as someone who, having suffered the ultimate cost, would not needlessly risk soldiers.
“People trust him to be a real person and a patriot. They expect him to take care of the country and not himself,” said Rahat, who is a professor at Hebrew University.
His platform includes a commitment to bolstering Israel’s national security, including through regional cooperation, although he supports Jewish settlements that are “in line with Israel’s interests” in the occupied West Bank.
He has also adopted the slogan “Service for All,” which references mandating military service for Israel’s ultra-Orthodox communities. Such arguments may resonate with Israelis weary of war or sending family members to fight.
Joshua Leifer, a columnist for Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, wrote that he “presents as an everyman, a reflection of the ordinary Israeli,” describing him as “a kind of antipolitician.”
In 2024, Eisenkot resigned from Netanyahu’s war Cabinet, citing what he described as the prime minister’s lack of strategy during Israel's Gaza war. He sent a forceful letter to fellow Cabinet members warning that they were misinterpreting incremental battlefield gains for decisions capable of neutralizing Hamas and enhancing Israeli security.
However, his concerns were not focused on the level of destruction in Gaza or the high civilian casualty count, both of which drew international condemnation. While he has at times emphasized diplomacy as a means to address Israel’s security challenges, Eisenkot is also credited with developing Israel's “Dahiyeh Doctrine,” named after the area in Beirut’s southern suburbs where the Hezbollah militant group maintains a stronghold.
He detailed this doctrine in a 2008 interview with the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, following his service as a top military official during Israel’s 2006 war with Lebanon.
“What happened in the Dahiyeh quarter of Beirut in 2006 will happen in every village from which shots will be fired in the direction of Israel,” he stated. “We will wield disproportionate power against every village from which shots are fired on Israel, and cause immense damage and destruction. From our perspective, these are military bases.”
Challengers Face Difficult Path Despite Anti-Netanyahu Sentiment
In Israel’s fragmented multi-party system, prime ministers rarely complete their four-year terms due to coalition collapses and new alliance formations. Because of this—and despite Netanyahu's unpopularity—it would remain challenging for any of the prime minister’s challengers to build a coalition substantial enough to unseat him.
If Eisenkot’s party secures more seats than Netanyahu’s, it will still need to form alliances with sufficient other parties to achieve a majority. Eisenkot has indicated he will not compromise on legislation that mandates military service for the ultra-Orthodox, who also possess political influence.
He will also face the decision of whether to include Arab-led parties to cross the electoral threshold—a strategy already exploited by Netanyahu and his far-right allies as an attack point.