Once Defence Chief and Minister Under Netanyahu, Meet Eisenkot, Who may Become PM of Israel

TEL AVIV — Former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as the central figure reshaping the country’s political landscape. Once a trusted defence chief and a minister under Benjamin Netanyahu, Eisenkot has stepped into the political arena as a formidable challenger to Israel's long-serving leader, thrusting himself into position to potentially form the nation's next government.

A Decorated Military Career

Born in Tiberias in 1960 to Moroccan Jewish immigrants, Eisenkot built a storied decades-long career within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Enlisting in the elite Golani Brigade in 1978, he steadily climbed through the command ranks, serving in southern Lebanon, acting as military secretary to Prime Ministers Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon, and eventually serving as the IDF's 21st Chief of General Staff from 2015 to 2019.

During his tenure as military chief, Eisenkot engineered major strategic frameworks, including multi-year defence plans and doctrines centred on intense deterrence against hostile regional actors. However, his transition from uniform to politics was forged through profound personal and national grief. Following the outbreak of the Gaza war, his son, Master Sergeant Gal Meir Eisenkot, was killed in action in December 2023. Shortly after, Eisenkot broke away from the emergency unity government, citing deep disagreements with Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict and broader state governance.

Entering the Political Fray

Stepping into civilian politics, Eisenkot took the helm of the Yashar party to contest the legislative elections. Positioned as a pragmatic centrist with unblemished security credentials, he campaigned on healing deep societal fractures, re-establishing institutional trust, and addressing the mounting political polarisation that intensified under Netanyahu's right-wing coalitions.

While Eisenkot is a seasoned military strategist known for taking a hardline stance on national security—including opposing a Palestinian state and vowing to dismantle militant networks—he has sharply criticised extremist elements within the political establishment, openly condemning settler violence in the West Bank.

The Road Ahead

Following a closely fought parliamentary election where neither the anti-Netanyahu bloc nor the incumbent's camp secured an outright majority, Israeli President Isaac Herzog tapped Eisenkot to attempt to build a governing coalition.

Facing a strict constitutional window to stitch together the necessary parliamentary support, Eisenkot stands at the precipice of political history. Whether he succeeds in unseating Netanyahu or forces a historic realignment, the former general has firmly cemented himself as the new anchor of Israel’s political opposition.