Former Army Chief Who Lost Son in Gaza Conflict Emerges as Netanyahu's Leading Challenger

Former Israel Defense Forces chief Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strongest challenger ahead of Israel’s October 27 election, with recent polls showing his newly formed Yashar party narrowly leading Netanyahu’s Likud. Eisenkot, 66, entered politics after losing his son and two nephews during the Gaza war, saying he wants to help rebuild a country exhausted by years of conflict. He has ruled out joining a coalition led by Netanyahu and has pledged to replace the current government. A former military commander and son of Moroccan immigrants, Eisenkot supports universal military service and a strong national security policy. However, he faces a difficult path to forming a coalition in Israel’s fragmented political landscape, even if his party finishes first in the election.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Bloomberg.