The media is infatuated with Gadi Eisenkot, the ‘anti-Netanyahu’. Why? | Mehdi Hasan
Summary
Gadi Eisenkot, Israel’s former top general and current leader of the Yashar party, is gaining attention in Western media as a main political challenger to Prime Minister Netanyahu before Israel’s October elections. However, Eisenkot has been involved in several controversial military actions against Palestinians and Lebanese civilians, and he opposes Palestinian statehood and supports Israeli settlements in occupied territories.Key Facts
- Gadi Eisenkot led the Israeli military and is now leading the Yashar party, which is ahead in polls before the October 2024 Israeli elections.
- Western media have portrayed Eisenkot as an alternative to Netanyahu, but he served in Netanyahu’s war cabinet during a deadly military campaign in Gaza (Oct 2023–June 2024).
- The Israeli campaign in Gaza killed over 30,000 Palestinians and caused massive destruction to buildings, schools, and hospitals.
- Eisenkot resigned from the war cabinet in 2024 due to disagreements on strategy, not because of the high Palestinian death toll.
- During protests in Gaza in 2018–2019, Eisenkot oversaw military actions that killed over 200 Palestinians, including children, which a UN inquiry found likely violated human rights.
- Eisenkot rejects the idea of a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians and supports Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, considered illegal by international law.
- As head of Israel’s Northern Command, he promoted a military strategy called the “Dahiya Doctrine,” involving heavy destruction of civilian areas in Lebanon in 2006, an approach viewed as a war crime.
- The article suggests the perspectives of Palestinians and Lebanese civilians should be considered when discussing Eisenkot’s role and potential leadership.
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