Can Eisenkot consign Netanyahu to history?
Gadi Eisenkot, the 66-year-old leader of the "Ishar" party and a former army general, after the last parliamentary elections that did not bring any of the coalitions to a decisive majority, was appointed to assemble the cabinet with a deadline of 6 weeks.
He is of Moroccan origin and is considered among the "Mizrahim" Jews, will be the first prime minister of this origin if he succeeds.
After years of military service and serving as chief of the army's general staff (2015 to 2019), Eisenkot entered the war cabinet following the October 7 attack, but resigned in June 2024 due to Netanyahu's insistence on "total victory" instead of an agreement with Hamas.
His election plans focused on Netanyahu's weaknesses, sought to investigate security failures and the need to break out of international isolation.
However, his approach towards Iran, Hezbollah (as the designer of the "Dahiyah doctrine") and the opposition to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the short term is not much different from Netanyahu's policy.
Eisenkot's decision to form a coalition should either make an alliance with Arab parties, which are opposed by several right-wing parties in his bloc, or go to Netanyahu's partners in the cabinet to form a "unity government".
If he fails in this 6-week period, the opportunity to assemble the cabinet will be given to Benjamin Netanyahu.
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The official channel of Donya Akhtaz newspaper.