Eisenkot Calls for Unity as Netanyahu Faces Election Fight

Eisenkot Calls for Unity as Netanyahu Faces Election Fight

Gadi Eisenkot, the former military chief now leading Israel's main opposition party, has urged voters to reject division ahead of the October 27 election, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu campaigns on security fears and his rivals split over settlement policy.

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Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar! party and entered politics in 2022, called for unity and calm as the campaign intensifies, positioning himself as the centrist alternative to Netanyahu's "populist and radical policies" [271733]. The former military chief has rejected the E1 settlement project, which would split the largest Palestinian territory in two — though he remains, like Netanyahu, firmly opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state [270807].

Netanyahu, meanwhile, is fighting to hold onto power. He posted an AI-generated image of a nuclear bomb being dropped on Tel Aviv, with critics calling the stunt a desperate attempt to rally support through fear and warning his next move could be renewing war with Iran [271611]. The image drew sharp backlash, with opponents calling it reckless and dangerous.

In the border town of Sderot, hit hard by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, many residents remain firmly behind Netanyahu despite the devastation their community endured — a stark snapshot of the political heartland that continues to back him as the country heads to the polls [271501].

The election comes as Israel announced all land crossings with the West Bank will close on election day, following a pledge by officials to take a harder line on militancy after Palestinian gunmen killed two soldiers in the territory. The announcement came one day after Israeli forces entered Hebron and displaced about 2,000 residents; Defence Minister Israel Katz said those displaced "will not be allowed to return … until we've finished dealing with all the Hamas issues in" the area [270647].

Sources

Netanyahu Rival Eisenkot Demands Unity Before Israel's October Vote #271733Israel election deadlock: Netanyahu rival rejects key settlement project #270807Netanyahu’s Nuclear Threat: AI Image of Bomb on Tel Aviv Sparks Outrage #271611Sderot still stands with Netanyahu as election looms #271501Israel closes West Bank crossings on election day, displaces 2,000 in Hebron #270647

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