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Israel election challenger Eisenkot accuses Netanyahu of ducking responsibility
Eisenkot, unveiling candidates for the Oct. 27 vote, said he would seek to end divisions intensified since the Oct. 7, 2023 war began in Gaza, where dozens of hostages were held.
Gadi Eisenkot, the main challenger to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accused the sitting premier of prioritizing political survival over the country’s security, speaking at a rally in central Israel on Monday, according to SCMP Economy.
Eisenkot, a former military commander who is a relative newcomer to politics, unveiled candidates for the Yashar party for the Oct. 27 election and criticized Netanyahu for what he said was ducking responsibility in the nearly three years since the massive Hamas attack in October 2023.
The AFP-referenced account says Eisenkot did not lay out how he would handle the Palestinian question or the wars against Iran and Lebanon launched by Netanyahu, but he argued the leadership should unite Israelis amid the rift opened on Oct. 7, 2023, which he linked to divisions over Netanyahu’s conduct of the war in Gaza.
Eisenkot also addressed election issues including exemptions and benefits granted to ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, questioning whether voters want to continue under a government that he said promotes evasion of duty.