Gadi Eisenkot, former army chief, leads opposition bid to unseat Netanyahu in Israeli election

Summary

Middle East Eye profiles Gadi Eisenkot, the former army chief who has emerged as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strongest challenger ahead of Israel's parliamentary election, with voting due on 27 October. The outlet reports that the fallout from the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023, Israel's military campaigns across the Middle East and the contentious issue of conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jewish men have reshaped the political landscape and eroded support for Netanyahu and his governing coalition. Opinion polls cited by the outlet suggest that Likud and its allies are struggling to secure the 61-seat majority needed to form a government. Eisenkot leads a broad opposition bloc spanning right-wing, centrist, left-wing Jewish and Palestinian parties, and recent polling suggests he has the strongest chance yet of ending Netanyahu's long grip on power.

Timeline

1. Middle East Eye

   28 Oct 2026, 10:19 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that former army chief Gadi Eisenkot leads a broad opposition bloc challenging Netanyahu ahead of the election due on 27 October, with recent polling suggesting he has the strongest chance yet of ending Netanyahu's long grip on power.