Eisenkot Challenges Netanyahu in 120-Seat Race

Israeli voters cast ballots on Tuesday in a contest that centers less on ideological lines and more on the continued rule of Benjamin Netanyahu. The prime minister has held the top office for 19 of the last 30 years. Current polling places the pro-Netanyahu and anti-Netanyahu camps in a tight race, with the outcome potentially hinging on a single seat in the 120-member Knesset.

The opposition bloc is led by Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff who entered politics four years ago. His party, Yashar, which translates to straight or direct, campaigns on a platform of US-style term limits for the prime minister. Eisenkot argues that power corrupts and calls for a country without lies. His coalition includes former prime minister Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman, both of whom previously worked with Netanyahu before breaking with him.

Financial and political stakes are high given the economic backdrop of the region. The opposition bloc is forecast to outpoll the government camp but fall short of a majority, forcing reliance on parties representing Palestinian citizens, who constitute about one-fifth of the population. Pro-Netanyahu media, particularly Channel 14, have pushed a narrative that pits the right against Palestinian political leadership. The network’s Yinon Magal recently referred to Eisenkot as a Moroccan monkey, a comment that opposition supporters cited as evidence of the incumbent’s grip on the narrative.

Netanyahu’s campaign posters present a binary choice between Yamin, the right, and Falastin. His rivals on the far right, including Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit, argue that the prime minister drifts left and needs to be pulled rightward. They advocate for increased settlements, a ministry to encourage voluntary Palestinian departure, and the death penalty. Despite these alignments, the core dynamic remains a referendum on the prime minister’s tenure.

Observers note that Netanyahu’s durability persists despite recent setbacks. The October 7, 2023 attacks occurred on his watch, and his subsequent war in Gaza resulted in more than 70,000 Palestinian deaths, a third of whom Israel identifies as Hamas combatants. The war did not eliminate Hamas, and Iran’s nuclear threat remains. Netanyahu also faces a corruption trial and the Qatargate affair. His loyal base has largely absorbed these issues, with allies claiming intelligence chiefs kept him uninformed about the 2023 attack, a claim critics deem unfounded.

The vote may turn on expatriate turnout. Many secular, liberal Israelis are returning home to vote, a demographic that pollsters do not fully capture. This group could be decisive if the race remains within a single seat. On Thursday, a state ceremony marked the 1995 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Netanyahu sent a low-ranking minister in his place. Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats, expressed optimism about the opposition’s ability to agree on a regional strategic process for long-term security.

The election results will determine whether the Knesset can form a governing coalition. The process will involve intense negotiations between blocs that have historically clashed. The outcome will set the direction for Israel’s fiscal policy, military spending, and international relations in the coming years.