The quiet contender: Gadi Eisenkot's rise reshapes Israel's opposition
As Israel's Knesset moves toward dissolution and elections loom, a steady trend has emerged: former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot and his Yashar! party are rising in the polls. According to a Ma’ariv poll cited by the Jerusalem Post, Yashar! gained two mandates to reach a total of 17 seats, placing Eisenkot close behind the Together Party led by former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.
Eisenkot's political trajectory has been marked by both ambition and turbulence. After joining the National Unity party, led by Benny Gantz, alongside Gideon Sa'ar, the alliance delivered a disappointing result of just 12 seats. Following the October 7, 2023, attacks and subsequent war, Eisenkot served as a minister in the emergency government, but disagreements with Netanyahu led to his departure. In 2025, he left National Unity to form his own party, Yashar!.
The party has since attracted high-profile figures, including former Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen, and has been steadily climbing in the polls. Eisenkot's appeal, according to observers cited by the Jerusalem Post, stems from his "refreshing and new" political style, his charisma, and his background as a military leader. He is described as a "prominent figure" in Israeli politics and arguably the opposition's most credible alternative to Netanyahu.
Polling landscape
The same Ma'ariv poll cited by the Jerusalem Post shows the broader electoral picture: the opposition bloc, including Together, Yashar!, and other parties, lost one seat this week, dropping to 58. The ruling Likud, led by Netanyahu, continued its decline, losing one seat and falling to 23, although it remains the largest single party. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism party is hovering near the electoral threshold with four seats.
The Together Party, formed by the merger of Bennett and Lapid, has seen a sharp drop in support — down six seats from its peak — even before the latest polling. This decline has intensified pressure within the party to seek a merger with Eisenkot's Yashar!.
Lapid's overture
According to the Jerusalem Post, Yair Lapid has publicly called on Eisenkot to join the Together Party. The offer, reportedly the second spot on the party's list after Bennett, has been on the table since the alliance's launch in April. Eisenkot, however, has refused to serve as second-in-command to Bennett, a position that would subordinate him within the merged list.
Analysts quoted by the Jerusalem Post suggest that a merger between Eisenkot and the Together Party could strengthen the opposition's chances in the upcoming election, though questions remain about how the two would divide leadership roles and whether such a union would alienate voters who see them as distinct alternatives.
Eisenkot's position
Eisenkot's unique position — a former military chief seen as moderate on security, with broad appeal across the political spectrum — has made him a central figure in the discussions about the future of the opposition. His refusal to serve as second-in-command to Lapid has been a sticking point in merger negotiations. Observers cited by the Jerusalem Post suggest that Eisenkot's rise could make him the leader of the largest party in the opposition bloc if current trends continue.
The coming weeks, as the Knesset heads toward dissolution and the election campaign begins in earnest, will determine whether Eisenkot becomes the opposition's standard-bearer or whether the various parties can agree on a united front against Netanyahu's ruling coalition.