ByKESHET NEEV

JUNE 5, 2026 13:56

With the Knesset dissolution heading into its second and third readings this week, national elections draw nearer at a swift pace.

Amid rapid daily shifts in the political arena, one pattern stays steady: consistent growth in backing for Yashar Party chief Gadi Eisenkot in successive surveys.

Following recent polls that largely indicated a drop for former premiers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid's Together Party, Eisenkot's Yashar again advanced in the numbers.

This pattern of Eisenkot climbing and now nearing Bennett and Lapid, who trail Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud, may soon position him as head of the biggest party within the opposition group.

Given this prospect, the past week brought renewed strong efforts by the Together Party to bring Eisenkot aboard with the second slot on its roster, right after Bennett.

The proposal has remained available to Eisenkot since the initial joint announcement when Bennett and Lapid formed their partnership in April.

While repeating his invitation for Eisenkot to join, Lapid noted on Monday that his political background convinced him Eisenkot's inclusion would secure victory for the opposition side.

Lapid: 'We must first unite the camp'

“I am applying all my background and insight to one belief: to succeed, we need to bring the camp together first,” Lapid stated.

“I wish to appeal directly to Gadi Eisenkot. I want to tell him two words: Gadi, join us. You stand for principles and care deeply for this nation,” Lapid continued.

Lapid reinforced his appeal to Eisenkot on Wednesday, adding that it “will only take another two or three weeks, perhaps slightly longer,” until news of Eisenkot entering the Together Party emerges.

“Following three-and-a-half years of hardship, sorrow, and setbacks, a strong surge of hope, positivity, and stability will arrive. Gadi is arriving, the camp is coming together, exactly as the nation must come together,” he said.

Still, Eisenkot has turned down every invitation to merge the groups so far, stating he will not accept a deputy role and urging focus instead on maximizing votes for the opposition overall.

“I trust in my abilities, I understand the leadership style I offer, and I view myself as a highly capable contender,” Eisenkot remarked in a March Channel 12 discussion while outlining his decision against Bennett's deputy proposal.

Heading a centrist group focused on removing Netanyahu, Eisenkot stands out as a distinctive figure in the first election after the October 7 Hamas attacks. He shows a more understated style, in contrast to the bold, vocal images common among politicians.

As a father who lost his son along with two nephews in the Israel-Hamas War, he connects with citizens facing the aftermath of the attack.

Loss of Eisenkot's son led him to found Yashar

Eisenkot has explained that losing his youngest son motivated him to work toward improving the country, and in September 2025 he started Yashar. He reflected on the deaths of his son and nephews during Remembrance Day observances in April, describing the personal effect.

“One must find resilience and seek positive reasons to resume a regular life. I accept that the past cannot be altered,” he noted.

This mindset shows in Eisenkot's efforts. Although his personal story stays prominent, his proposals for the coming government focus on advancing beyond the October 7 events.

He has stressed equal national service for all while offering a milder position than other opposition figures and urging a “practical approach” last week for drafting haredim into the IDF.

The approach allows exemptions for 3 percent of each yearly haredi group to pursue Torah study. Eisenkot has pointed out that this would align with exemptions for top musicians and athletes.

He has also pledged to create an official inquiry panel to examine government shortcomings related to October 7.

Eisenkot, of Moroccan heritage, would become the first Mizrahi prime minister if elected. Born in Tiberias and raised in Eilat, he held the IDF chief of staff post from 2015 to 2019.

His move into politics occurred during the 2022 elections when he entered the National Unity Party alongside Benny Gantz and Gideon Sa'ar.

Eisenkot later acted as deputy in the Blue and White Party under Gantz before departing the group in June 2025 and stepping down from the Knesset.

With Eisenkot showing greater reluctance to take a deputy role once more and Bennett staying committed to leading the Together list, the chance of Eisenkot running on his own grows, though nothing is final.

Creating combined electoral lists is standard in Israeli politics, yet the key issue remains whether a merger would boost the opposition's total votes as Lapid suggests or instead reduce support by losing those drawn to Eisenkot's independent run.

Dr. Assaf Shapira, a politics specialist and director of the Political Reform Program at the Israel Democracy Institute, told The Jerusalem Post he leans toward seeing an edge in Eisenkot competing separately from Bennett and Lapid.

He noted an independent bid could draw support from beyond the opposition, including right-leaning voters let down by Bennett previously.

“Pulling some support from outlying areas, additional backing from soldiers, and votes from those who might otherwise skip voting, Eisenkot gains more scope to achieve that if running alone,” Shapira said.

Yet Shapira observed that a merger of Bennett, Eisenkot, and Lapid might generate “a feeling of forward movement,” which could help the opposition side.

“After forming a large list, a party will likely poll ahead of Likud. That outcome can spark energy and excitement.” Shapira noted this momentum could sway younger undecided voters.

“From Eisenkot's viewpoint right now, it appears useful to postpone any merger until the final moment, as that could yield more seats based on current polls.

“For Bennett, uniting sooner works better, given the current direction: Bennett is slipping while Eisenkot rises.”

Shapira added that “in the end, Israeli politics involves strategy. And it remains unclear whether the leader of the largest list will become prime minister later, even inside one bloc.”

Shapira also addressed Eisenkot's personal appeal, describing a distinct quality that feels fresh and different.

“He conveys a quite distinct form of appeal,” Shapira said, comparing it to a kind of “anti-charisma.”

“In the US, for instance, it might not register as typical charisma, since he comes across as somewhat measured... very genuine.”

While Eisenkot stands apart now and has moved away from his prior ally Gantz, who has lost most backing and risks falling below the threshold, parallels exist with Gantz's 2018 entry into politics.

Gantz also entered with a military chief of staff record, built wide support, and was viewed as a top Netanyahu rival. He held centrist views and, across the 2019-2020 election cycle, tied and then overtook Likud with 33 seats.

That level of backing for Gantz has faded. Gantz pursued failed partnerships, joined two unity governments under Netanyahu, and faced criticism for inconsistent moves.

In May, further exits occurred as more MKs departed Gantz's Blue and White Party, after earlier departures by lawmakers now in Eisenkot's Yashar. Gantz sits apart from the opposition and lacks public backing, appearing more isolated.

While Eisenkot's distinct profile as a politician in the post-October 7 period has fueled his rise, the coming period will reveal whether this leads him to lead the nation, enter an alliance, or echo the path of his former colleague Gantz.