Israeli President Isaac Herzog has formally tasked opposition figure and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot with forming a new government, according to reports from Jerusalem. The appointment follows weeks of political maneuvering after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition appeared to fracture over judicial reform controversies and wartime decision-making.
Eisenkot, who served as Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces from 2015 to 2019, has emerged as a central challenger to Netanyahu’s long grip on Israeli politics. The former general entered electoral politics in 2022, joining Benny Gantz’s National Unity party before establishing himself as a prominent voice against what he characterizes as the current government’s strategic missteps.
From Military Command to Political Leadership
The 64-year-old Eisenkot brings substantial military credentials to the political arena. During his tenure as IDF chief, he oversaw operations across multiple fronts and developed Israel’s military doctrine for conflicts with Hezbollah and Hamas. His operational experience includes commanding forces during the Second Lebanon War and directing strategic planning for potential confrontations with Iran.
His transition to politics came after years of increasingly public disagreement with Netanyahu’s approach to national security matters. Eisenkot has criticized what he describes as tactical decisions driven by political considerations rather than strategic military necessity, particularly regarding operations in Gaza and relations with neighboring states.
Unlike many Israeli politicians who rose through party ranks, Eisenkot’s appeal rests largely on his reputation for pragmatic military judgment and his standing among security establishment figures who have grown critical of the current government’s direction.
Coalition Arithmetic and Political Challenges
Under Israeli law, a designated candidate typically receives 28 days to assemble a governing coalition commanding at least 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset. The mathematical puzzle facing Eisenkot involves bridging ideological gaps between centrist parties, potentially left-wing factions, and possibly some right-wing elements willing to break with Netanyahu.
The Israeli political landscape remains deeply fragmented. Recent defections from Netanyahu’s coalition have created an opening, but constructing an alternative majority requires navigating fundamental disagreements on settlement policy, religious legislation, and the ongoing judicial reform debate that has polarized Israeli society for over a year.
Eisenkot must potentially negotiate with parties ranging from the center-left Labor and Yesh Atid to potentially amenable right-wing politicians who have soured on Netanyahu personally while maintaining conservative policy positions. Each brings incompatible demands on core issues.
Netanyahu’s Weakened Position
Benjamin Netanyahu has dominated Israeli politics for over a decade across multiple terms as prime minister. His current coalition, formed after November 2022 elections, brought together religious parties and far-right nationalist factions in what became Israel’s most right-wing government in its history.
That coalition pushed controversial judicial reforms sparking unprecedented domestic protests before the October 2023 Hamas attacks shifted national attention to security concerns. Even during wartime, however, internal tensions have persisted over military strategy, hostage negotiations, and post-conflict planning for Gaza.
Recent polling has shown declining public support for Netanyahu personally, even among voters who support right-wing policies broadly. Military reservists and security establishment voices have increasingly questioned government decision-making, creating political vulnerability that opposition figures are now attempting to exploit.
Security Establishment Backing
Eisenkot’s candidacy draws particular strength from support within Israel’s extensive security establishment. Former military leaders, intelligence chiefs, and defense officials have rallied behind his assertion that strategic decision-making has become subordinated to coalition politics and Netanyahu’s personal legal challenges.
This backing carries weight in Israeli political culture, where military service is nearly universal and security credentials often translate into electoral credibility. Eisenkot can claim not just military experience but relationships across the defense bureaucracy that could potentially enable more cohesive security policymaking.
His supporters argue that Israel faces critical strategic decisions regarding Gaza’s future, potential confrontation with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iran’s nuclear program that require leadership focused on national interest rather than coalition management.
International Implications
A government led by Eisenkot would likely pursue different approaches to several international relationships. While maintaining Israel’s core security positions, he has indicated greater willingness to coordinate with American officials on regional strategy and potentially revive security cooperation with Palestinian Authority forces in the West Bank.
Relations with the United States, strained during recent months over settlement expansion and humanitarian conditions in Gaza, could shift under new leadership. Eisenkot’s military background includes extensive coordination with American counterparts and understanding of how Israeli actions affect broader regional dynamics that concern Washington.
European governments, many of whom have grown increasingly critical of Netanyahu’s policies, might find different interlocutors in an Eisenkot-led government, though fundamental disagreements over settlements and Palestinian rights would persist regardless of Israel’s leadership.
Uncertain Timeline and Outcomes
The coalition formation process remains fluid and success is far from guaranteed. Eisenkot faces the same mathematical and ideological challenges that have produced governmental instability throughout recent Israeli history. The country held five elections between 2019 and 2022, reflecting deep divisions that personalities alone cannot bridge.
If Eisenkot cannot assemble a coalition within the designated period, President Herzog must decide whether to extend negotiations, designate another candidate, or potentially call new elections that would be Israel’s sixth in just over five years.
Political analysts note that even successful coalition formation often produces unstable governments in Israel’s fragmented party system. Minor coalition partners can extract disproportionate concessions and threaten government survival over particular issues, limiting any prime minister’s freedom of action.
The coming weeks will determine whether Israel’s political system can produce an alternative to Netanyahu or whether the current impasse continues.
