Gadi Eisenkot emerges as Netanyahu's strongest challenger amid shifting polls

Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as a formidable contender in Israeli politics, with his party, Yashar!, now polling at 16 seats and widely seen as a leading alternative to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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Gadi Eisenkot is undoubtedly one of the most prominent figures in Israeli politics today and is widely perceived as a leading alternative to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Right, arguably more so than any other figure in the opposition bloc.

Eisenkot's political journey has seen significant shifts. An initial alliance with Benny Gantz's National Unity party yielded a modest 12 seats. However, the judicial reform crisis and the subsequent October 7 massacre propelled Gantz and Eisenkot back into the political spotlight, with many viewing them as unifying figures. Their entry into the war cabinet further boosted their profile, though disagreements with Netanyahu led to their withdrawal, causing a sharp drop in support from a February 2024 peak of 37 seats to just 9 by June 2025.

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Following his split from Gantz and the establishment of a new party in July 2025, Eisenkot entered a complex and crowded political arena, particularly within the anti-Netanyahu bloc.

Following his departure from Gantz and the establishment of Yashar! in July 2025, Eisenkot navigated a crowded opposition field. Initially, Naftali Bennett was Netanyahu's main challenger. However, over the past six months, Eisenkot has experienced a dramatic turnaround, more than doubling his support. This surge has created a strategic quandary, particularly concerning a potential merger with Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party.

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Over the past six months, however, Eisenkot’s position has undergone a notable turnaround, more than doubling his support.

The question arises whether such a merger is necessary given Eisenkot's upward trajectory. Past alliances, like the 2013 Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu joint list, suggest limited electoral gains. Furthermore, the recent Bennett-Lapid alliance, while currently underwhelming, might serve as a cautionary tale. The Bennett-Lapid union has, at least temporarily, widened the gap between Bennett and Eisenkot, potentially consolidating the political landscape into a two-bloc competition between Likud and Bennett's camp, a scenario where voters might strategically align with Bennett to counter Netanyahu.

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On the one hand, Eisenkot’s upward trajectory raises the question of whether such a merger is necessary.