Gadi Eisenkot: The General who carried his grief to the ballot

Israel is facing a political turning point. Following the October 27 parliamentary election, President Isaac Herzog has chosen former military chief Gadi Eisenkot to form the next government. The decision comes after Benjamin Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition failed to secure a parliamentary majority. Eisenkot now has 28 days to build a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. If successful, he could bring an end to Netanyahu's long tenure as Prime Minister. But Eisenkot's story goes beyond electoral politics. He is a former general, a bereaved father and a politician whose rise is closely linked to the failures of October 7, 2023.

A bereaved father's vow at his son's grave

On October 7, 2023, Eisenkot drove his 25-year-old son Gal to report for reserve military service. Two months later, he received the news that would change his life. Gal had been killed by an explosive device during an operation in Gaza to recover the remains of Israeli hostages.

The loss was devastating. Eisenkot also lost two nephews during the war. At his son's grave, he made a promise that Gal's sacrifice would not be meaningless. He began to see it as a personal responsibility towards the country and its people.

His grief gradually became part of his political mission. He has spoken about a fundamental breakdown in the relationship between Israel's citizens and their political leadership. For him, the October 7 attacks exposed serious failures of responsibility. His entry into politics was partly driven by the belief that the country needed a different kind of leadership.

The military General

Born in 1960, Eisenkot comes from a family of Moroccan Jewish immigrants. His parents belonged to the Mizrahi Jewish community, whose roots lie in North Africa and West Asia. He grew up away from Israel's traditional centres of political power.

He joined the Golani Brigade as an infantry soldier in 1978. Over the next four decades, he rose through the military ranks. He commanded the Golani Brigade, headed the Northern Command and eventually became Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 2015. He retired in 2019.

His military career reveals a complicated understanding of force and accountability. Eisenkot is associated with the Dahiya Doctrine, which advocates overwhelming military force against areas and infrastructure used by enemy forces. The strategy emerged from Israel's experience in the 2006 Lebanon war.

Yet he also insisted on military discipline. In 2016, when an Israeli soldier fatally shot a wounded Palestinian in Hebron, Eisenkot demanded that the soldier face a military trial. This placed him at odds with Netanyahu, who defended the soldier.

Once Netanyahu's army chief, now a contender for his post

Eisenkot entered electoral politics in 2022. He joined Benny Gantz's National Unity alliance and secured a seat in the Knesset.

Following the October 7 attacks, he joined Netanyahu's emergency government and served as an observer in the war cabinet. He believed his military experience could contribute to decisions during a national crisis.

However, disagreements soon emerged. Eisenkot wanted the recovery of Israeli hostages to receive greater priority. He also questioned the government's long-term strategy in Gaza. He eventually left the government in June 2024, alongside Gantz, following disagreements over the conduct of the war and the government's failure to establish a clear post-war strategy.

He subsequently founded his own party, Yashar, in 2025. The Hebrew word means straight, upright or honest. The party presents itself as an alternative to Netanyahu's government. It promises stronger institutions, national security and greater social cohesion. One of its important campaign promises is to end the blanket exemption of ultra-Orthodox Jews from compulsory military service.

The polished politician versus the unassuming General

The relationship between Eisenkot and Netanyahu is particularly intriguing. Netanyahu appointed him Chief of Staff in 2015. At the time, the two men shared a professional relationship based on mutual trust.

Their differences became more prominent over time.

Netanyahu is an astute political campaigner. His public image is carefully designed. Eisenkot, in contrast, has a relatively modest public presence. He is less comfortable with political theatrics and presents himself as a straightforward military professional.

Their backgrounds also differ. Netanyahu comes from an Ashkenazi family with European roots. Eisenkot belongs to the Mizrahi Jewish community, with family origins in Morocco. He rose through the military ranks rather than through established political networks.

Their differences extend to governance. Eisenkot has criticised Netanyahu's handling of the October 7 security failures and the war in Gaza. He has also opposed the growing influence of far-right figures in the government. He has repeatedly ruled out serving in a government led by Netanyahu.

His position on Gaza and Palestine

Despite presenting himself as an alternative to Netanyahu, Eisenkot's position on the Palestinian question does not represent a complete departure from Israel's established security policy.

He does not support Palestinian statehood. He has also expressed support for Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. At the same time, he has criticised settler violence against Palestinians and opposed the influence of far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

On Gaza, Eisenkot has questioned the idea that military operations alone can produce a decisive victory over Hamas. He has argued for a more realistic military strategy and greater priority for the release of hostages. However, he is not a political dove. His own military record remains significant. He served in the war cabinet during the Gaza campaign and is associated with a military doctrine based on overwhelming force.

This raises an important question. Would a change in leadership bring a change in Israel's approach towards Palestinians, or would it mainly change how that approach is managed?

The politics of change

Eisenkot's rise reflects widespread dissatisfaction with Netanyahu's leadership. His personal losses, military experience and relatively modest public image have shaped his political appeal.

Yet his politics contain contradictions. He speaks of national unity but remains committed to a strong military approach. He criticises Netanyahu's conduct of the Gaza war but does not support Palestinian statehood. He promises political change without offering a clear break from several longstanding Israeli policies.

For now, Eisenkot represents a serious challenge to Netanyahu's political dominance. His personal story explains why he entered politics. His decisions on war, security and Palestine will determine what kind of political alternative he actually represents.