Former Israeli General Gadi Eisenkot Leads Polls as Netanyahu's Likely Successor

Gadi Eisenkot, a 66‑year‑old former chief of Israel’s Defence Forces (2015‑2019) and architect of the controversial “Dahiya” doctrine, has entered politics after a long military career. He joined the war cabinet in 2022, but left it in 2024 over disagreements with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the conduct of the Gaza war and the release of hostages.

Eisenkot’s personal profile was reshaped by tragedy: his son Gal and two nephews were killed in Gaza in December 2023, an event that has drawn public sympathy. In early 2024 he founded the centrist Yashar party (“Fair”), positioning himself as a reformist alternative.

Recent Israeli polls place Eisenkot ahead of Netanyahu ahead of the October parliamentary elections, with some surveys showing his bloc could secure around 61 of the 120 Knesset seats and Yashar alone about 21 seats. Analysts describe him as the main anti‑Netanyahu figure and a potential successor to the long‑standing premier.