Former Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army: A formidable opponent of Netanyahu.
Launching his election campaign on a strategic 10-point platform, former Israeli Army Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot is demonstrating his leading position. He is considered the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel heads into a fiercely contested general election on October 27.
According to AFP on July 27, former Israeli Army Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot is emerging as a major challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This comes as Israel prepares for a fiercely contested general election. Gadi Eisenkot's campaign is built on a solid 10-point platform that is expected to restore Israel's security, unity, and democratic institutions.
Gadi Eisenko's rise comes at a pivotal moment in national politics. The upcoming election is seen by observers as a referendum on the leadership capabilities of the current prime minister. This assessment stems from the violent aftermath of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
According to a recent Channel 12 poll, Eisenkot's newly formed Yashar party is leading Netanyahu's Likud party. The Yashar party is projected to win 23 seats, compared to Likud's 22, in the 120-member Knesset. The same survey showed that 43% of respondents considered Eisenkot the most suitable candidate for prime minister. This is significantly higher than Netanyahu's 34%.
Following the attacks in October 2023, Gadi Eisenkot rejected calls for the establishment of a future Palestinian state. He asserted that such proposals were completely inappropriate at the time. The former general was also a pioneer in Israel's strategy of asymmetrical military response in Lebanon. His campaign platform strongly focused on restoring comprehensive national security.
Having served as Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army from 2015 to 2019, he is credited as one of the developers of the "Dahiya Doctrine." The doctrine's name originates from a suburb of Beirut that was a stronghold of Hezbollah.
This military doctrine is built on the premise that Hezbollah regularly hides fighters and weapons in residential areas. Therefore, this rule allows Israel to launch devastating retaliatory strikes against the enemy's populated centers. This heavy-handed military action is triggered whenever Israeli communities suffer long-range attacks.
