Gadi Eisenkot campaigns on Moroccan roots in challenge to Netanyahu

Former Netanyahu supporters in Dimona, a once stronghold of the Likud party, are rallying behind rival candidate Gadi Eisenkot ahead of Tuesday's election. The ballot is Israel's first since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which has shaken the country and plunged the region into turmoil. Likud's popularity has plummeted since the security breach, with opinion polls predicting a loss of majority for Netanyahu's coalition.

Gadi Eisenkot, a former Netanyahu loyalist, is seeking to take advantage of the growing uncertainty surrounding the election. In Dimona, where an Iranian missile attack wounded dozens in March, the political landscape has become increasingly contentious. Former Dimona resident Yossi Assayag, who has supported Likud his entire life, believes that Netanyahu has brought "disaster" to Israel and is pushing for "change."

However, some traditional Likud voters, like 25-year-old Oria Asaf, are now backing Eisenkot, hoping for a better future for their children. Despite strong backing from loyalists, the race remains tight, with some 13% of Israeli voters still undecided, including 8% who are supporting Eisenkot. Netanyahu's personal credentials and military background provide him with an edge, but his age and long tenure as prime minister have raised concerns among some voters, including Dimona software engineer David Iskali, who believes it's time for "a change."