Eisenkot Challenges Netanyahu in Tight Israeli Knesset Vote

Israelis cast ballots on Tuesday in a contest that centers on the tenure of one leader rather than traditional ideological divides. Benjamin Netanyahu has served as prime minister for 19 of the last 30 years, and current polling indicates a tight race between supporters and opponents of his leadership.

The opposition is led by Gadi Eisenkot, a former defense chief who entered politics four years ago. His party, Yashar, advocates for direct communication and proposes term limits for the prime minister to prevent the concentration of power. Eisenkot, the son of working-class Moroccan Jews, campaigned on a platform of transparency and action rather than rhetorical skill.

At a rally in Modi'in, located between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, attendees praised Eisenkot's plain style. Noa Sadeh, 56, said she is tired of politicians who are skilled speakers and wants a leader who focuses on implementation. The opposition bloc also includes former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman, both of whom previously aligned with Netanyahu before breaking with him.

On the far right, Itamar Ben-Gvir's party promotes a platform that includes expanding settlements in the West Bank and Gaza. Yishai Fleisher of Otzma Yehudit argued in Bet Shemesh that Netanyahu has drifted left and needs to be pulled further right. He also proposed a ministry to encourage voluntary Palestinian departure, the death penalty, and increased weaponry for Jewish civilians.

Netanyahu's campaign posters present a choice between Yamin, meaning right, and Falastin, meaning Palestine. This framing places opposition leaders alongside leaders of parties representing Palestinian citizens, who constitute about one-fifth of the population. Pro-Netanyahu media, particularly Channel 14, have maintained a defensive posture for his opponents in recent weeks.

The tight polling confuses many observers given the political backdrop. The 7 October 2023 attacks occurred while Netanyahu was in office, and his subsequent war in Gaza resulted in more than 70,000 Palestinian deaths. Israel states that one-third of those killed were Hamas combatants, but the group was not eradicated. The prime minister also faces legal challenges from a corruption trial and the Qatargate affair involving his aides.

Oded Levi, who voted for Netanyahu in 2022 but attended an Eisenkot rally this week, said the current prime minister bears responsibility for the state of the country. Netanyahu's support base remains loyal despite reports that he received warnings about the October attacks. His allies argue that military and intelligence chiefs kept him uninformed, a claim that is not supported by evidence.

Many liberal, secular expatriate Israelis are returning home to vote, a group that pollsters do not typically capture. This influx could determine the outcome if the race hinges on a single seat in the 120-member Knesset. On Thursday, a state ceremony marked the 1995 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, an event Netanyahu skipped by sending a lower-ranking minister.

Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, expressed optimism about the opposition's ability to form a government. He hopes for a regional strategic process for long-term security, though he avoided using the term peace process. A video showing young Israelis singing a song associated with Rabin at a Negev music festival suggests a shift in sentiment among some voters.