Israel’s high-stakes election on Oct. 27 pits the longest serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, against the highly decorated retired Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot.
asserted
election → pit → Eisenkot
While fairly new to politics, Eisenkot has an impressive resume that could help him become the Jewish state's next leader.
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that → have → him
According to a number of polls, Eisenkot's centrist political party, Yashar, has a narrow lead over Netanyahu's Likud.
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party → accord → Likud
To form a government, Yashar or Likud will need to cobble together a 61-seat majority of parties to be able to form a new coalition government.
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Yashar → form → government
He was born in Tiberias in Israel’s north to a Jewish-Moroccan family who relocated to Israel’s southernmost city, Eilat, on the Red Sea when he was a toddler.
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he → bear → Sea
A career soldier, he opted to serve in the infantry.
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he → opt → infantry
He was part of the elite Golani Brigade and reached the zenith of the military with his 2015 appointment to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff in 2015 until 2019.
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He → reach → 2019
Yossi Melman, one of Israel’s most respected journalists on intelligence and defense reporting, told Fox News Digital that Eisenkot, "Is 100% a soldier.
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Eisenkot → tell → Digital
Melman noted that when Eisenkot was chosen to be the next IDF chief of staff, he declined because he felt that then General Benny Gantz should receive the appointment.
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Gantz → note → appointment
Melman asked, "How many people would do that?
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people → ask → that
He was selected after Gantz.
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He → select → Gantz
It shows his traits of modesty, honesty and not arrogant."
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It → show → modesty
Melman said, "It is a miracle he is leading in the polls.
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he → say → polls
He is not a great orator when you compare him to Netanyahu.
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you → compare → Netanyahu
He radiates honesty."
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He → radiate → honesty
Eisenkot’s Mizrahi background — Jews who originate from North Africa and the Middle East — would mean, if he prevails, that he would be the first Israeli Prime Minister of Moroccan origin.
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he → originate → origin
The Prime Minister’s office has been held by Israelis of Eastern European descent (Ashkenazi) since the rebirth of the Jewish state in 1948.
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office → hold → 1948
After Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 and slaughtered over 1,200 people, including more than 40 Americans, Eisenkot joined Netanyahu’s war cabinet as a minister without portfolio.
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Eisenkot → invade → portfolio
Melman said Eisenkot "did not set any political conditions" and "his presence in the cabinet saved Netanyahu."
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presence → say → Netanyahu
After eight months of serving in the war cabinet, Eisenkot resigned, blaming the prime minister for failing to implement a comprehensive strategy.
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Eisenkot → serve → strategy
The war against the Iran-backed terrorist movement Hamas took an enormous toll on the battle-hardened General Eisenkot and his family.
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war → back → Eisenkot
Hamas killed his son, 25-year-old Master Sergeant Gal Eisenkot, in Dec. 2023.
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Hamas → kill → Dec.
The terrorist organization also killed two nephews of Eisenkot.
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organization → kill → Eisenkot
Netanyahu and his wife Sara said at the time that they were devastated by Gal’s death and Eisenkot was a "true hero."
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Eisenkot → say → death
Danny Orbach, a military historian from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, gave his take on the leading contender to replace Netanyahu.
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Orbach → give → Netanyahu
"I think his military record and his prospects as a national leader have both significant strengths and serious weaknesses.
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record → think → strengths
He bears considerable responsibility for shaping the IDF that existed on Oct. 7, 2023.
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that → bear → Oct.
And that was, paradoxically, both the army that proved capable of defeating Hezbollah, striking Iran and achieving unprecedented military successes in the extraordinarily difficult, tunnel-ridden battlefield of Gaza and the army that failed so miserably on Oct. 7."
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that → prove → Oct.
He continued that, "Like other chiefs of staff, Eisenkot bears responsibility for the decisions that reduced the army's size and for the infamous ‘conceptzia’ [Hebrew word for concept] regarding Hamas.
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that → continue → Hamas
In that respect, I consider him just as culpable as Netanyahu."
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him → consider → Netanyahu
Israel’s military, intelligence and political establishments bought into the ‘conceptzia’ that Hamas could be housebroken with massive infusions of economic aid.
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Hamas → buy → aid
Hamas, however, was wedded to its radical Islamist ideology —the destruction of the Jewish state — and used the funds to advance its war aims.
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Hamas → wed → aims
Orbach noted that "I don't think most of Eisenkot's support stems from his energy, enthusiasm or even his political platform.
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most → note → energy
My impression is that Eisenkot has emerged as the default ‘non-Bibi’ candidate, the politician who currently channels much of the camp's hopes and expectations."
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who → emerge → hopes
Orbach added that "I also doubt that Eisenkot would have had the political determination to stand up to the Biden administration on such matters."
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Eisenkot → add → matters
Netanyahu and former President Biden repeatedly clashed over Biden’s attempts to rope in Israel’s efforts to defeat Iran’s seven-front war against the Jewish state.
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Netanyahu → clash → state
The military historian, however, noted that "I believe an Eisenkot government could address several of Israel's most urgent problems.
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government → note → problems
It would remove Ben Gvir from power, confront the growing problem of Jewish extremist violence and terrorism in the West Bank, and begin repairing Israel's severely damaged international legitimacy."
Itamar Ben-Gvir is a controversial right-wing firebrand politician and the current minister of national security since 2022, who has outraged many Western European and foreign leaders with his heated rhetoric against the Palestinians.
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who → remove → Palestinians
Eisenkot’s wife, Hannah, comes from an American Jewish family.
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wife → come → family
U.S. General Joseph Dunford awarded Eisenkot the Commander of the Legion of Merit because of his "exceptionally meritorious service as chief of the General Staff of the IDF" and his "contribution to the strategic cooperation between the United States and Israel [that] will have a lasting effect on both countries," according to the Washington Institute, where Eisenkot served as a military fellow in 2019.
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Eisenkot → award → 2019
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
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