“The Man Giving Israelis a Choice”

Chosen for becoming the strongest political voice for Israelis demanding change: Gadi Eisenkot has emerged in 2026 as the clearest challenger to Benjamin Netanyahu, representing voters who want new leadership while maintaining Israel's security and national strength.

I intend to lead the country, and I intend to win.

Gadi Eisenkot, 2026

The numbers are making that ambition increasingly real. In a Channel 12 poll published September 8, Eisenkot's Yashar party was projected to win 25 Knesset seats, compared with 21 for Netanyahu's Likud. Reuters likewise reported that Eisenkot has become Netanyahu's strongest rival, with Yashar steadily rising and at times overtaking Likud in the polls.

But Eisenkot's appeal goes beyond polling numbers. A former IDF Chief of Staff and veteran of Israel's security establishment, he represents a growing constituency that wants political change without compromising on Israel's ability to defend itself.

For Israelis frustrated by years of political division, the October 7 failures and the government's handling of the aftermath, Eisenkot has become a symbol of the possibility that Israel can choose a different path. His campaign is offering voters something that has been increasingly difficult to imagine: a serious alternative to Netanyahu's long political reign.

And that is why his rise matters beyond party politics. Eisenkot is giving Israelis who want change a voice, and, for the first time in years, a realistic path to turning that desire into political power.

He isn't simply running against Netanyahu. He is giving Israelis the opportunity to choose what comes next.

That is why Gadi Eisenkot is No. 11 on The 36.