Israel votes in key election as former army chief challenges Netanyahu

Israel is set to hold parliamentary elections on Tuesday, with former army chief Gadi Eisenkot emerging as the primary challenger to long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr. Eisenkot's year-old centrist party, Yashar, is projected to win between 20 and 23 of the 120 seats in the Knesset, putting it ahead of Mr. Netanyahu's Likud party according to recent opinion polls.

Background and Campaign

Mr. Eisenkot, 66, is a former military chief of staff who served from 2015 to 2019 and is known for articulating the Dahiya doctrine of military force. Born in Tiberias to Moroccan immigrants and raised in Eilat, he would become Israel's first Mizrahi Prime Minister if he wins a majority. He entered politics in 2022 with Benny Gantz and briefly joined Mr. Netanyahu's war cabinet after the October 7, 2023 attacks, before resigning in June 2024 over a lack of post-war strategy. His campaign carries deep personal resonance after he lost his 25-year-old son, Gal, and two nephews in the Gaza conflict.

Policy Stance

During his campaign, Mr. Eisenkot has vowed to remove Hamas from power in Gaza within 18 months, investigate the security failures of October 7, and institute national service for all citizens, including ultra-Orthodox Jews. While he opposes a two-state solution and shares concerns about Iran, he also promises to crack down on violent Jewish settlers in the West Bank and halt annexation efforts. However, neither his bloc nor Mr. Netanyahu's is currently projected to secure the 61 seats required for an outright parliamentary majority.

Context

Israeli parliamentary elections decide the makeup of the 120-seat Knesset, after which the president asks the political leader most capable of forming a governing coalition to lead the country. Because fragmentation is common in Israeli politics, parties routinely rely on multi-party alliances and coalitions to reach the necessary majority threshold to govern.