Netanyahu's challenger

Financial Times -   In his 30 years at the pinnacle of Israeli politics, Benjamin Netanyahu has vanquished many rivals — but none quite like his current main challenger.  Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief, speaks halting English. He’s never run a government ministry. And until a few months ago he had never helmed a political party.

Yet the 66-year-old is now leading Netanyahu in several polls, in the process becoming many Israelis’ best hope of unseating the veteran incumbent in the general election on October 27.

The top ranks of Israeli politics used to be dominated by former generals, including prime ministers Yitzhak Rabin, Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon. It was another former army chief, Benny Gantz, who in 2019 rocketed from political novice to lead the anti-Netanyahu opposition.

Yet, while his path to power is still uncertain, the fact that Eisenkot — referred to by some analysts as the “anti-Netanyahu” — has emerged as the prime minister’s most formidable challenger surprises even those who know him.