Eisenkot, Netanyahu's first rival, is a hard-line general of Moroccan origin

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Former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, a conservative figure who stays out of the media and a relative newcomer to Israeli politics, represents a stark contrast to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the "veteran leader" whom Eisenkot is seeking to oust in next week's elections. His image, as a straight-talking security hawk of humble origins, has resonated in a country preparing to go to the polls on October 27 for the first time since the October 7 attack. It was carried out by Hamas 3 years ago.

Especially since Eisenkot proposed an approach different from the leadership style followed by Netanyahu and his far-right allies. But he is not different in terms of his hard-line security views, which have intensified since October 7, 2023. He opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state and called for the destruction or dismantling of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.

He also stressed that the next Israeli government must prevent Iran from obtaining a military nuclear capability, whether by force or through an "arrangement" such as a diplomatic solution supported by the United States.

In addition, he supported settlement in the occupied West Bank, where settlements expanded under Netanyahu, and which most countries consider illegal and an obstacle to peace. Eisenkot told Israel's Channel 7 that settlements must serve Israel's national interests and must be "legal," a comment indicating his opposition to settlement outposts established without state approval. He also criticized settler violence against Palestinians, which has escalated since 2023, increasing tension in Israel's relations with Western countries. He opposed Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who faced sanctions from some Western countries for inciting violence against the Palestinians.

However, he opposed the establishment of a state for the Palestinians, who have long sought to establish a state consisting of the West Bank and Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital. “Establishing two states for two peoples is a mistake,” he told Channel 7. He also added, “My position is that between the Jordan River and the sea, Israel must have the supreme security responsibility. If we want to survive, there must not be any foreign army between the Mediterranean and Jordan.”

Eisenkot announced that he would not ally with parties that represent Israeli Arabs, or what are known as internal Arabs, because he does not see anyone among these parties who accepts his four basic principles, including the destruction of Israel’s enemies. This may complicate his path later towards forming a ruling majority, even if Yashar’s party becomes the largest party.

Eisenkot stressed his security credentials during his election campaign, citing his “Dahiya Doctrine” of responding to attacks with disproportionate force, which he applied when he was one of the military commanders during Israel’s 2006 war with the Hezbollah group. This doctrine was based on responding to attacks by armed groups and factions with comprehensive destruction, even of civilian infrastructure.

Eisenkot also distinguished himself by his modest style, in contrast to Netanyahu, the pugnacious showman who is on trial for corruption and whom opinion polls indicate that many hold responsible for the security failures surrounding the October 7 attack.

In addition, the former general’s public standing was also linked to the personal price his family has paid since 2023; His son, his sister's son, and a third family relative were killed in clashes in the Gaza Strip.

In this context, Eitan Shamir, director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University, said, "He is a very popular person. He is not a politician, but an ordinary person. He is not arrogant. People feel that they can communicate with him."

While opinion polls showed the lead of the Yashar Party led by Eisenkot over the Likud Party led by Netanyahu, the political divisions in Israel make it difficult for either of them to ensure the formation of the next government.

It is noteworthy that if he wins, Eisenkot, the son of Moroccan immigrants, will be the first prime minister from the Mizrahi Jewish community in Israel, who are Jews whose roots go back to the Middle East and North Africa.

Mizrahi Jews are considered an important electoral base for Netanyahu, and the community has sometimes suffered from deprivation in Israel, especially in the first decades of the establishment of the state, which were dominated by Ashkenazi Jews, whose roots go back to Europe.

Eisenkot served in the Israeli army for 41 years, commanding forces in the West Bank during the Second Intifada, and during the 2006 war against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

He then rose to become Chief of Staff from 2015 to 2019.

As for the party that he founded in 2025, it bore the name Yashar, which is a Hebrew word that means “straight” or “honest.”

He joined the war council formed by Netanyahu as an observer after the October 7 attack. But he resigned eight months later, criticizing Netanyahu's leadership. He said at the time in an interview with Channel 7, "I want something simple. We set a goal of destroying Hamas' military strength and its ability to rule within a year. But more than three years have passed, and that has not happened."