Former General Emerges as Netanyahu’s Chief Rival

“Benjamin Netanyahu’s bid to survive as Israel’s long-serving prime minister is running up against a groundswell of support for a political newcomer: a former general who lost his son in the Gaza war,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Gadi Eisenkot, the former top commander of the Israeli military, has seen his popularity surge of late, with polls showing his centrist Yashar party drawing roughly equal support to Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud.”

“Israel is expected to hold elections by the end of October, the first polls since the Hamas-led 2023 attack and the ensuing wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. Netanyahu, who has been prime minister on and off for a total of around 19 years, faces an uphill battle amid domestic criticism over the war with Iran, which many Israelis see as a failure.”