Former Israeli military commander Eisenkot challenges Netanyahu on security, unveils election slate

Gadi Eisenkot, Israel's main opposition challenger, charged Benjamin Netanyahu with placing personal political survival ahead of national security, at a rally where he unveiled his Yashar party's candidate slate for the October 27 election.

The former military commander accused the prime minister of evading accountability in the nearly three years since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, but offered no detail on how he would approach the Palestinian question or the conflicts with Iran and Lebanon that Netanyahu initiated.

Military Credentials Fuel Electoral Challenge

Eisenkot's Yashar party, Hebrew for "Upright", has climbed in recent polling since its launch a year ago, with his military pedigree convincing many voters he represents a credible alternative to Netanyahu.

At the rally in a hall in Rosh Haayin, central Israel, Eisenkot pledged to heal the fractures that have consumed the country since October 7, 2023, over Netanyahu's management of the Gaza war, where dozens of Israeli hostages remain held, and operations on other fronts.

"In the face of the great rift that opened on October 7, and in the face of the immense challenges before the State of Israel, I believe we need a leadership that knows how to rise to the magnitude of the hour, that knows how to unite and bring unity around what we share, and to fundamentally restore the principles of stateliness and Zionism," he told supporters.

Ultra-Orthodox Exemptions Draw Fire

Eisenkot also addressed other contentious election issues, including the exemptions and benefits granted to ultra-Orthodox Jewish men.

The critique underscores the political pressure on Netanyahu as he campaigns for re-election while managing multiple security fronts and domestic discord over his war strategy.

Source: South China Morning Post