Israel's former military chief, a hawkish, reserved and unpolished figure, has a viable chance of unseating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
asserted
chief → have → Netanyahu
While votes from Tuesday's election are still being counted, his centrist Yashar party and opposition allies hold the clearest path to power if they align with Arab-led parties, though pulling it off may prove difficult.
uncertain
pulling → count → it
It marks a remarkable climb for the 66-year-old, raised by Moroccan-Jewish immigrants, whose son died fighting in the latest war in Gaza.
asserted
son → mark → Gaza
Having commanded some of Israel's toughest military battles, he now faces Netanyahu, who has repeatedly shown an almost uncanny ability to survive cutthroat Israeli politics.
asserted
who → command → politics
Nevertheless, Eisenkot was ecstatic and determined late on Tuesday as initial exit polls suggested a major loss for Netanyahu.
uncertain
polls → suggest → Netanyahu
“We have made history!" he bellowed from a podium in Tel Aviv.
“Millions of Israelis have had enough of the culture of lies, of failure, of division and incitement," Eisenkot said.
asserted
Eisenkot → make → division
"Tonight marks the beginning of a path that must lead to the formation of a Zionist government.”
asserted
that → mark → government
Preliminary results from Israel’s elections commission on Wednesday have since shown the prime minister’s party pulling ahead, but without a clear majority.
asserted
party → show → majority
Eisenkot's coalition — a mix of centre-right and more liberal figures — is a close second but would need to partner with Arab-led parties for an outright majority.
asserted
coalition → need → majority
Eisenkot could form a majority coalition, but it wouldn't be easy
uncertain
it → form → coalition
In Israeli politics, where higher vote counts don’t automatically translate into political victories, the ability to amass a coalition is key.
asserted
ability → translate → coalition
Emerging results indicated that neither Netanyahu’s nor Eisenkot’s coalition blocs would reach the 61 seats needed for a majority; local media projected 53 seats for Likud and allied parties, 48 for Yashar and allied parties and 19 for Arab-led parties.
asserted
media → indicate → parties
While Netanyahu and many members of his party, Likud, have ruled out working with minority Arab parties, Eisenkot has not.
The parties, composed mainly of Palestinian Muslims and Christians, made a historic showing at the polls in Tuesday's election.
asserted
parties → rule → election
If Eisenkot can convince them to join his coalition, he could gain enough seats to form a majority in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
uncertain
he → convince → Knesset
Yousef Jabareen, leader of the Joint List of Arab parties, is calling for a “true and equal” Jewish-Arab partnership to help oust Netanyahu’s government after a strong showing by Arab-led parties.
asserted
Jabareen → call → parties
Eisenkot is up against the clock
By partnering with Arab parties, Eisenkot could lose the support of more right-wing members of his coalition, endangering his bloc from the opposite flank.
uncertain
Eisenkot → partner → flank
In a bid to prevent such defections, his party has asked Israel’s Arab parties to publicly profess certain principles: that Israel is a Jewish and democratic state, guided by the Israeli declaration of independence; that Hamas is a terrorist organisation that should be disarmed and demolished; and that ultra-Orthodox Jews and Palestinian citizens of Israel must no longer be exempt from Israel’s mandatory military draft.
asserted
Jews → prevent → draft
“There is currently no ultra-orthodox or Arab party that supports these four principles,” Yashar candidate Lian Polak-David said to AP on Tuesday night.
asserted
David → be → night
They must reach an agreement soon or risk going to another round of elections.
asserted
They → reach → elections
Thousands of citizens who flew into Israel to vote in the first round might be unable to return for a second, and Arab parties would likely suffer from lower turnout, too.
uncertain
parties → fly → turnout
“We must act swiftly.
asserted
We → act → ?
This is the imperative of the hour, and uniting our people is essential," Eisenkot said Tuesday night in Tel Aviv.
asserted
Eisenkot → unite → Aviv
Eisenkot is seen as an antidote to Netanyahu's Israel
Eisenkot has halting English and comes from a working-class family.
asserted
Eisenkot → see → family
He spent four decades in Israel’s military.
asserted
He → spend → military
His 25-year-old son, Gal Meir Eisenkot, was killed in combat in Gaza.
asserted
son → kill → Gaza
Netanyahu is a US-educated elite, marred by corruption scandals.
asserted
Netanyahu → educate → scandals
His arrest is sought by the International Criminal Court.
asserted
arrest → seek → Court
Netanyahu’s son, Yair Netanyahu, is a podcaster who lives part-time in Florida and has used the legal name “Yonatan Hun,” according to Haaretz.
uncertain
who → live → Haaretz
After the Hamas attacks on Israel 7 October, 2023, Eisenkot took on a role as an observer in Netanyahu’s war Cabinet.
asserted
Eisenkot → take → Cabinet
That day, the militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostage.
asserted
militants → kill → hostage
Israel then launched a war in Gaza that has killed over 74,000 Palestinians, according to the territory’s health ministry.
uncertain
that → launch → ministry
In June 2024, Eisenkot followed a colleague out of the cabinet, writing in his resignation letter that Netanyahu was letting politics influence decision making, harming Israel’s ability to achieve its war goals.
asserted
politics → follow → goals
Eisenkot’s two nephews who were deployed to combat were also killed fighting in Gaza.
asserted
who → deploy → Gaza
The personal losses raised Eisenkot’s profile among Israelis and gave him credibility as someone who, having paid the ultimate price, wouldn’t needlessly sacrifice soldiers.
Eisenkot's platform: 7 October widen the draft and strengthen security
Eisenkot, like others in the opposition, say Netanyahu should be held accountable for 7 October and the failure to turn battlefield victories into diplomatic achievements.
asserted
Netanyahu → raise → achievements
They support launching a state inquiry into the failures that led to the Hamas attacks that day — a probe Netanyahu has long refused.
asserted
Netanyahu → support → attacks
When it comes to the country’s ultra-Orthodox population, Eisenkot has said he will not compromise on legislation mandating they also serve in the military.
asserted
they → come → military
Like nearly all the prime minister’s rivals, Eisenkot has supported Israeli military operations in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
asserted
Eisenkot → support → Gaza
He says he wants to dial tensions down with the Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and follow Trump’s plan for Gaza.
asserted
he → say → Gaza
He supports settlements, but says he would evacuate unauthorised settler outposts, which rights groups say are the primary drivers of violence against Palestinians.
asserted
groups → support → Palestinians
While at times he has emphasised diplomacy as a way to address Israel’s security challenges, he is also credited with formulating Israel’s so‑called “Dahiyeh Doctrine,” named after the area in Beirut’s southern suburbs where the Hezbollah militant group has a stronghold.
asserted
group → emphasise → stronghold
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia
