Ex-IDF chief accuses Netanyahu of prioritizing political survival over national security

Former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot launched a direct attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, accusing the sitting premier of focusing strictly on political self-preservation rather than national security.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Rosh Haayin where he formally presented the Yashar party's candidate slate for the upcoming October 27 general election, Eisenkot called for unifying leadership to restore public trust and state stability.

What accusations did Eisenkot level against Prime Minister Netanyahu?

Addressing supporters, Eisenkot sharply criticized Netanyahu's governance in the nearly three years following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, asserting that the prime minister has systematically evaded accountability while presiding over deep national divisions. "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," Eisenkot declared.

Eisenkot also targeted hot-button domestic controversies, specifically military draft exemptions and financial subsidies granted to ultra-Orthodox Haredi men. "Will we go on for more years under a government that promotes evasion of duty without shame? A government that hands out billions of shekels to those who neither serve nor work?" he questioned, pledging to end draft evasion and enforce equal service obligations.

What do recent opinion polls show regarding the October 27 Knesset election?

The rally coincided with the formal submission of candidate slates ahead of Tuesday's deadline for the 26th Knesset elections. According to recent polling by public broadcaster Kan and Channel 12, Eisenkot's centrist Yashar ("Upright") party leads Netanyahu's Likud with a projection of 23 to 25 seats out of 120, positioning Eisenkot as the leading opposition contender for prime minister.

However, polling indicates a persistent political deadlock heading into the vote. According to The Times of Israel and The Jerusalem Post, neither Netanyahu's right-wing coalition (projected at 52 seats) nor the main anti-Netanyahu opposition bloc currently holds a clear line to the 61-seat parliamentary majority required to form a government. Consequently, unaligned parties and Arab-majority lists—projected to capture up to 13 seats—are positioned as potential kingmakers in post-election coalition negotiations.