Eisenkot offers hawkish alternative to Netanyahu for Israeli PM
He rejects Palestinian statehood and says Netanyahu’s coalition has failed to destroy Hamas’s military wing.
- Israel's October 27, 2026 election for the 26th Knesset faces gridlock, with polls showing neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's religious-nationalist bloc nor challenger Gadi Eisenkot's centrist faction will reach the required 61-seat majority.
- Arab-Led parties could emerge as critical kingmakers in the fragmented parliament, as polling indicates neither major bloc will secure a conventional majority without their support or external backing.
- Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff, has campaigned as a security hawk, vowing a "universal national service law" requiring ultra-Orthodox Jews and Arab citizens to perform military or civil service.
- Netanyahu and Eisenkot have both ruled out formal coalitions with Arab-led parties, raising the prospect of prolonged post-election negotiations, minority arrangements, or another round of voting if deadlock persists.
- Intensifying violence in the West Bank and high crime rates in Arab communities have become central voter concerns, overshadowing traditional peace discussions as the country remains in a state of permanent mobilization.
193 Articles
193 Articles
Israelis hold final rally against Netanyahu before election, and other Mideast news
Israelis held a final large rally against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Tuesday's close election. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have carried out arrests and demolitions in the West Bank city of Hebron a day after Palestinian gunmen killed two soldiers.…
Arab voters denounce racist attacks and their freedom of expression by the ultra-rightist government. Ending this fear motivates them to vote
Can Netanyahu win again?
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to his supporters during a Likud Party meet-and-greet held as part of the campaign ahead of Israel's legislative election, at King Solomon Hotel in Netanya on October 22, 2026. Israel heads to the polls on October 27 in its first election since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, in what is seen as a referendum on the prime minister. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)
The Israeli Prime Minister intends to remain in office after Tuesday’s elections. However, polls point out that Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party – a former head of the Israel Defense Forces – has options to secure more seats.
Eisenkot Challenges Netanyahu With Responsibility-First Stance
In a race defined by personality as much as policy, form military chief Gadi Eisenkot is now emerging as Benjamin Netanyahu's main rival in Tuesday's election—and his opposition in style, background, and message. Per the New York Times, Eisenkot, 66, campaigns like a command giving a briefing: flat, direct,...
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