Gadi Eisenkot: The former general challenging Netanyahu

Israel faced a tense political landscape on Tuesday, as exit polls indicated a deadlocked election between Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's camp. The two sides were in a dead heat, making it unclear which party would have the power to form a government. Eisenkot, a former chief of staff who entered politics in 2022, has positioned himself as a moderate alternative to Netanyahu while maintaining a hawkish approach to security.

Born to a working-class family of Jewish Moroccan immigrants, Eisenkot rose through the ranks of Israel's military, ultimately becoming the chief of staff. Currently leading the largest opposition party, the centrist Yashar!, Eisenkot's son and two nephews were killed in combat following the October 7 attacks. He had served as an observer in Netanyahu's war cabinet but resigned in 2021, accusing the prime minister of lacking a clear strategy.

Since then, Eisenkot has portrayed himself as a moderate alternative to Netanyahu, though he remains firm on security matters.

A key aspect of Eisenkot's platform is his formulation of Israel's "Dahiyeh Doctrine," a military strategy advocating for the use of disproportionate force in areas where attackers originate. On Iran, he believes the country's nuclear program must be curbed, potentially through military action, but he does not believe regime change in Tehran is attainable.

If Eisenkot manages to form a coalition, he could become the first Israeli Prime Minister of Mizrahi descent, a group facing historical discrimination from the country's European-descended elite. The final results might take days, and Israel's political system, replete with smaller parties and potential kingmakers, could result in weeks-long coalition negotiations as parties seek unlikely alliances to form a majority government.