Gadi Eisenkot Leads Opposition Bloc Amid Rising Tensions Ahead of Israel’s 2026 Election

Former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot is the principal challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the October 27 election approaches. He heads the centrist Yashar! party, which now leads the Zionist opposition bloc. Eisenkot’s personal loss—his son Gal died in a Gaza tunnel after the October 7, 2023 attacks—has drawn widespread sympathy and positioned him as a security-focused leader.

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Eisenkot served as IDF chief of staff from 2015-2019 and introduced the “Gideon Plan,” a five-year restructuring that cut reserve formations, shortened mandatory service for men from 36 to 32 months, and shifted resources toward intelligence, cyber and precision strike capabilities. Critics say the plan reduced reserve manpower, a shortfall evident during the multi-front operations after October 7.

Arutz Sheva (Israel National News)

• KAN News poll: Likud 24 seats, Yashar! 23 seats; Netanyahu leads Eisenkot 41 %-34 % on who would make a better prime minister.

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• Direct Polls Ltd. for i24NEWS (August 6, 2026): Likud 28 seats, Yashar! 23 seats; coalition 58 seats, opposition 49 seats.

i24NEWS

• Maariv poll (July 27, 2026): Yashar! 23 seats, Likud 22 seats, B’Yachad 15 seats, others trailing.

The Jerusalem Post

These figures show Yashar!’s rise from 13 seats before the formation of B’Yachad to a record 23 seats, while B’Yachad’s support has slipped.

The Jerusalem Post

• Naftali Bennett, leader of B’Yachad, called Eisenkot’s draft “an insane mistake” and argued he “lacks experience in government work.”

The Jerusalem Post

• Haim Ramon, former minister, said attacks on Eisenkot “are effectively serving Netanyahu” and that the opposition’s situation is “hopeless.”

The Jerusalem Post

These tensions revolve around whether the bloc should rally behind Eisenkot as the largest-party leader or pursue a rotation that could keep Bennett and Avigdor Liberman in a stronger position.

Times of Israel

• “His [Eisenkot's] draft outline is an insane mistake,” — Naftali Bennett

The Jerusalem Post

• “According to him, “Their attacks on Eisenkot are effectively serving Netanyahu.” — Haim Ramon

The Jerusalem Post

Polls differ on seat counts and prime-minister suitability. KAN News places Likud ahead by one seat (24 vs 23) and shows Netanyahu leading Eisenkot 41 %-34 % in leadership preference, while the i24NEWS/Direct Polls survey gives Likud a larger lead (28 vs 23) and a coalition-opposition split of 58-49 seats. The Maariv poll adds a third perspective with Likud at 22 seats and the opposition bloc at 55 seats. No source provides a definitive projection of post-election coalition negotiations, leaving the exact path to government formation uncertain.

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• October 27: Election day.

The man who could topple Benjamin Netanyahu

• The Central Elections Committee’s AI-content ruling may affect campaign advertising in the final weeks.

Times of Israel

• Ongoing negotiations among B’Yachad, Yisrael Beytenu and other opposition parties could reshape the bloc’s leadership structure before the vote.

The Jerusalem Post

The coming weeks will determine whether Eisenkot can consolidate opposition support and translate his military reputation into a governing mandate, or whether internal rivalries and legal challenges will keep the “Anyone but Bibi” camp fragmented.

The man who could topple Benjamin Netanyahu