Gadi Eisenkot: Challenging Netanyahu's Grip in a 120-Seat Knesset

Gadi Eisenkot stood on a stage in Modi'in, a city situated between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, to address a crowd that viewed his lack of theatrical flair as a strength. The former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, who entered politics only four years ago, represents a party named Yashar, a word that translates to straight or direct. His platform centers on the idea of a country without lies and proposes US-style term limits for the prime minister, arguing that power corrupts.

The election scheduled for Tuesday marks the 30th anniversary of Benjamin Netanyahu’s first ascent to the premiership. He has held the office for 19 of the past three decades. Current polling indicates a razor-thin race between those supporting the prime minister and those opposing him. Noa Sadeh, a 56-year-old attendee at the rally, expressed fatigue with politicians who prioritize rhetoric over action, stating she wants a leader who will do the doing part.

The opposition coalition is composed of former figures who previously worked closely with Netanyahu before parting ways. The bloc includes former prime minister Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman, both of whom are associated with the nationalist right. On the far right, Yishai Fleisher of the Otzma Yehudit party argued in Bet Shemesh that Netanyahu has drifted left. Fleisher campaigned for more settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, a ministry to encourage the voluntary departure of Palestinians, the death penalty, and increased weapons for Jewish civilians.

Netanyahu has defined the campaign through specific messaging. His recent posters present a binary choice between Yamin and Falastin, visually linking opposition leaders with parties representing Palestinian citizens, who comprise about a fifth of the population. Pro-Netanyahu media, particularly Channel 14, have kept the opposition on the defensive. This week, Channel 14 host Yinon Magal referred to Eisenkot as a Moroccan monkey. Speakers at the Modi'in rally raised the slur, but Eisenkot did not, a move admired by some for its restraint and questioned by others for its understatement.

Observers note the puzzling nature of the close polling given recent events. The deadliest attack in Israel's history occurred on October 7, 2023, during Netanyahu's tenure. The subsequent war in Gaza killed more than 70,000 Palestinians, a group Israel says included a third who were Hamas combatants, yet Hamas was not eradicated. Israel's international standing has suffered, and the promised destruction of Iran's nuclear threat did not occur. Netanyahu also faces a corruption trial and the fallout from his attempt to curb the supreme court.

Oded Levi, who voted for Netanyahu in 2022 but attended the Eisenkot rally this week, stated that the prime minister is responsible for the events of the past three years. Netanyahu’s durability rests on a loyal base built over three decades. His allies maintain that army and intelligence chiefs kept him in the dark about the October 7 attack, a claim they say is unfounded. Many expect him to outmaneuver rivals in the coalition talks that follow the vote.

Opposition hopes rely partly on the return of liberal, secular expatriate Israelis to vote. Pollsters do not capture this group, and their presence could determine the outcome if the race turns on a single seat in the 120-member Knesset. On Thursday, a state ceremony marked the 1995 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Netanyahu stayed away and sent a low-ranking minister. Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats, expressed optimism about a regional strategic process for long-term security, though he avoided using the term peace process.

The word peace has been complicated for many Israelis, but it has not disappeared. A video shared widely this week showed scores of young Israelis at a Negev music festival singing Shir LaShalom, the song Rabin sang before he was shot 31 years ago. For some, the song and the full flights home suggest a shift in the political atmosphere.