Gadi Eisenkot, leader of Israel's Integrity Party and former Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, has announced the launch of his parliamentary election campaign. Polls show that support for the Integrity Party is closing in on that of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud group.
Eisenkot kicked off his campaign in Hod HaSharon, a city in central Israel, with the slogan "Israel Must Win," emphasizing that the coming parliamentary elections are crucial for Israel’s security and unity.
He pledged to be a unifying leader and serve as the Prime Minister of all Israeli citizens.
Now 66, Eisenkot served in the army for 40 years, participated as a senior commander in the large-scale 2006 military conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and served as Chief of General Staff from 2015 to 2019. He was elected as a member of parliament in 2022, founded the Integrity Party in September 2023, and subsequently joined the wartime cabinet, but resigned after only eight months due to disagreements with Netanyahu over military operations in Gaza.
A poll released earlier this week by Israel’s Channel 12 television showed that the Eisenkot-led Integrity Party could win 22 of the 120 parliamentary seats, while Netanyahu’s Likud group is projected to win 24 seats. The Integrity Party would need to form a coalition with other parties to reach a majority.
At this stage, two former prime ministers, Bennett and Lapid, have also formed a joint party called "Unity," likewise seeking to defeat Netanyahu.