Former Israeli army chief Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leading challenger ahead of Israel’s general election scheduled for October 27. Eisenkot formed the new Yashar political party in 2025, entering the race at what the report describes as an important turning point in Israeli politics.

A recent Channel 12 poll projected Yashar would win 23 seats in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset, narrowly ahead of Netanyahu’s Likud party on 22 seats. The survey found that 43 percent of respondents considered the 66-year-old Eisenkot the most suitable candidate for prime minister, compared with 34 percent for Netanyahu. Voters are expected to weigh Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict that began after Hamas attacked from Gaza on October 7, 2023.

Eisenkot is campaigning on a 10-point program focused on security, national unity and revitalising democratic institutions. His central pledge is an independent state commission of inquiry into the 2023 attack, after which allegations of intelligence failures were directed at Netanyahu’s government. He also promises a long-term national security policy to strengthen the military and border security, while backing judicial independence, rule of law, minority rights and a free press. His position on resolving the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unclear.