{
  "id": 16834996,
  "title": "Gadi Eisenkot: The former general challenging Netanyahu",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/gadi-eisenkot-the-former-general-challenging-netanyahu-16834996",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T02:31:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times - World News",
    "slug": "hindustan-times-world-news",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/gadi-eisenkot-the-former-general-challenging-netanyahu-101793154611562.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nBorn 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.\n\nA 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.\n\nIf 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.",
  "summary": "The tight Israeli contest has put the spotlight on the 66-year-old’s journey from the military’s top ranks to the forefront of Israeli politics",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Arutz Sheva - Israel National News",
        "title": "Channel 12 exit poll update: Netanyahu bloc rises to 52 seats, Eisenkot bloc drops to 49",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/channel-12-exit-poll-update-netanyahu-bloc-rises-to-52-seats-eisenkot",
        "published": "2026-10-28T00:21:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Le Monde English",
        "title": "Israeli elections: Exit polls show no clear winner as Netanyahu and Eisenkot both vow to form a government",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/israeli-elections-exit-polls-show-no-clear-winner-as-netanyahu-and",
        "published": "2026-10-28T01:47:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}