Gadi Eisenkot leads 'change bloc' challenge to unseat Netanyahu in Israel election

Israeli voters go to the polls on Wednesday, 28 October, for a general election that pits long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against a diverse "change bloc" coalition seeking to end his tenure. The vote follows a period of intense political volatility and comes as Netanyahu faces a combined challenge from former military leaders, centrist politicians, and a revitalized left wing. The Military Challenge Former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, 66, has emerged as the leading challenger to Netanyahu. Leading the newly formed Yashar party, Eisenkot is polling neck-and-neck with the Prime Minister. Despite his lack of political tenure, the former general has leveraged public sympathy following the loss of his son and nephews in the Gaza conflict. Eisenkot holds a center-right stance, vowing to maintain a firm security line against Hamas while promising a crackdown on extremist settlers in the West Bank. The Centrist Alliance The opposition includes former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who leads the Beyahad party. Bennett, a former tech entrepreneur, previously unseated Netanyahu in 2021 by forming a wide-ranging coalition. While he remains a competitor, Bennett has signaled a potential willingness to include Netanyahu in a future opposition-led government, positioning himself as a bridge for right-wing voters who have soured on the current leadership. Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party and a former television journalist, remains a central figure in the…