FORMER Israel Defence Forces chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot has launched his election campaign, declaring his intention to challenge veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and usher in what he described as a “new chapter” for Israel.
Speaking at his first campaign meeting on June 30, Eisenkot said Israel was in urgent need of political renewal ahead of elections scheduled in the coming months.
“Israel deserves to open a new chapter. We will write it together,” AFP quoted him saying.
“For the future of Israel, we must ensure that next October, the ‘October 7’ government ends its role in history,” he added, referring to the Hamas attack on Israel in 2023 during Netanyahu’s tenure.
“We will open a new chapter in the history of Israel, a much better chapter, because Israel must win, and it will win,” he continued.
Eisenkot, who has emerged as a prominent critic of Netanyahu’s wartime leadership, founded his Yashar party in September 2023. He previously served in Netanyahu’s war cabinet before resigning in June 2024.
A recent Channel 12 poll suggested his party could win 22 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, placing it just behind Netanyahu’s Likud, projected to secure 24 seats.
The 66-year-old former general, who has also been active in politics alongside Benny Gantz since 2022, is seen as appealing to voters seeking an alternative leadership path amid ongoing political and security divisions.
“We will replace a leadership devoid of vision and strategy, which is leading the country toward a loss of direction,” Eisenkot said, adding that Israel required “honest and dignified Zionist leadership”.
Eisenkot’s personal profile has also drawn public attention, including the loss of his son and nephews during the ongoing conflict in Gaza, adding to his prominence in Israel’s evolving political landscape. - July 1, 2026
