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Gadi Eisenkot

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Gadi Eisenkot
גדי איזנקוט
Eisenkot in 2026
Ministerial roles
2023–2024Minister without portfolio
2023–2024Observer of the war cabinet
Faction represented in the Knesset
2022–2025National Unity
Military roles
2015–2019Chief of the General Staff
Personal details
Born (1960-05-19) 19 May 1960 (age 66)
Tiberias, Israel
PartyYashar (since 2025)
Other political
affiliations
National Unity (2022–2025)
SpouseHannah Eisenkot
Children5
EducationTel Aviv University
University of Haifa
Awards
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)
Military service
AllegianceIsrael
Branch/serviceOperations Directorate, Northern Command
Years of service
1978–2019
Rank
Rav Aluf (highest rank; Lieutenant general)
Commands
Battles/wars

Gadi Eisenkot (Hebrew: גדי איזנקוט, [gaˈdi ajzenˈkot]; born 19 May 1960), also spelt Eizenkot, is an Israeli general, politician and leader of the Yashar party. He served from 2015 to 2019 as the 21st chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces and from 2023 to 2024 as a minister without portfolio in Israel's unity government. Eisenkot, who grew up in Eilat, pursued maritime studies and later served in the IDF's Golani Brigade. He holds a B.A. in history from Tel Aviv University and a post-graduate degree in political science from Haifa University. Married with five children, he resides in Herzliya. One of his sons, Gal, was killed in action during the Gaza war.

Eisenkot has held various leadership roles in the Golani Brigade and other IDF divisions. He served as Prime Minister Ehud Barak's military secretary and later as the IDF's chief of staff. During his tenure as chief of staff, Eisenkot focused on strengthening IDF ground forces and implementing the "Gideon" multiyear plan, which emphasized force buildup and the formation of a cyber command.

Eisenkot advocates for a state rooted in national-Jewish values but with equal rights for all citizens. He avoids explicit support for a two-state solution with the Palestinians, prioritizing the Jordan Valley and settlement blocs, and advocates a long-term ceasefire and demilitarization in the Gaza Strip. Eisenkot has emphasized the need for a robust security policy and internal unity in Israel, viewing domestic polarization as a significant threat. He advocates for reforms to strengthen the separation of powers in the Israeli government. Eisenkot indicated that he supports military service exemptions for up to three percent of Haredim enrolled at their yeshiva for religious studies but opposes the longstanding system that granted significant exemptions to ultra-Orthodox men following the October 7 attacks.

Biography

Gadi Eisenkot was born in Tiberias, in northern Israel. He is the second of four children[1] born to Meir and Esther Eisenkot,[2] Jewish Moroccan immigrants[3] from the town of Safi. His mother was born in Casablanca, and his father was born in Marrakesh. It is thought that the family name was originally Azenkot and was changed to Eisenkot by a clerk after his father immigrated to Israel.[4] After his parents divorced, his father remarried and had four more children.[5]

Eisenkot grew up in the southern port city of Eilat, and studied at Goldwater High School, majoring in maritime studies. After high school he was drafted to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and served in the Golani Brigade.

He graduated with a B.A. in history from Tel Aviv University and later completed a post-graduate degree at the University of Haifa in political science.

Eisenkot is married and the father of five children. He currently resides in Herzliya.[6] One of his children, Master Sergeant Gal Meir Eisenkot, was killed in the Gaza war in December 2023, at the age of 25.[7] Two of his nephews were also killed in the war. One, Sergeant Maor Cohen Eisenkot, was killed a day after Eisenkot's son Gal.[8] The other nephew, Captain Yogev Pazy, was killed in November 2024.[9]

Military career

Gadi Eisenkot's IDF induction photo, 1978

Eisenkot did his military service in the Golani Brigade,[10] of which he became commander in 1997–98. He served as a soldier, a squad leader and a platoon leader. In the First Lebanon War he served as a company commander in the Golani brigade. During the South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000) he served as the brigade's Operations Officer and as the commander of the Golani Orev Company.[11] Later, he served as Golani's 13th Battalion commander, the Deputy to the Commander of the Brigade and an operations officer of the Northern Command.[12] Afterwards he served as Carmeli Brigade's commander and as the commander of the Ephraim Brigade. In 1997 he replaced Col. Erez Gerstein and was appointed commander of the Golani Brigade.

In 1999 Eisenkot was selected to be the Military Secretary for the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense under then prime minister Ehud Barak. Since then he has commanded the 366th Division and the Judea and Samaria Division, where he led the campaign against Palestinian political violence.[13] He was promoted to head of Israeli Operations Directorate in June 2005. After the conclusions exercise "joining of forces" Eisenkot led the formulation of the concept on which the IDF must severely damage the center of gravity of Hezbollah, the Dahiya neighborhood, as a key component for creating deterrence against Hezbollah.[14]

After Maj. Gen. Udi Adam resigned in October 2006 amid criticism over his conduct in the 2006 Lebanon War, Eisenkot replaced him as head of the Northern Command.[15] In his years as the head of the Northern Command he emphasizes the training of forces,[16][17] strengthening the capacities of command and creating an appropriate operational response to threats from Hezbollah and Syria.[18]

On 11 July 2011, the position was transferred to Maj. Gen. Yair Golan.[19] Afterwards he served as Deputy Chief of General Staff in place of Maj. Gen. Yair Naveh, assuming office on 14 January 2013.[20] On 28 November 2014, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chose Eisenkot as the successor to Gen. Benny Gantz as the Chief of Staff of the IDF.[21]

Chief of Staff of the IDF

IDF Chief of General Staff Gadi Eisenkot arrives at a memorial ceremony of the IDF Combat Engineering Corps, 2016.

Eisenkot assumed duties as the IDF Chief of the General Staff on 16 February 2015. Upon taking office, he shifted doctrinal focus back toward ground maneuver capabilities, infantry and armored training, and countering cross-border tunnels. Under his direction, the multi-year "Gideon" plan was formulated and approved in April 2016 to execute the operational concepts outlined in the formal military doctrine document "The IDF Strategy". Together, they aimed to optimize force buildup, eliminate redundancies, establish a cyber command, and anchor military strategy around swift conflict resolution through combined maneuver and firepower.[22][23][24]

A core component of Eisenkot's tenure was the formalization of the Campaigns Between the Wars (CBW) doctrine: covert operations designed to weaken enemies, degrade capabilities, and postpone future conflicts between major engagements.[25][26] A 2017 military study credited Eisenkot with reversing the IDF's overreliance on technology, "strikingly evident" during the Second Lebanon War, and restoring ground maneuver as the military's primary tool for defeating adversaries.[27]

In August 2016, US Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford presented Eisenkot with the Commander of the Legion of Merit award for his meritorious service and contributions to U.S.–Israel strategic cooperation.[28]

Eisenkot handed over command to General Aviv Kohavi on 15 January 2019.[29]

Political career

Following his retirement as Chief of Staff, Israeli media outlets reported that Eisenkot considered entering politics ahead of the 2021 election.[30][31] Ahead of the 2022 election, Eisenkot joined the National Unity alliance, and was elected to the Knesset.[32]

On 12 October 2023, he was sworn in as a minister without portfolio after his party joined the government following the outbreak of the Gaza war.[33][32] Eisenkot left the government, along with the rest of National Unity, in June 2024.[34]

The party announced on 30 June 2025 that Eisenkot would leave the party and resign his seat in the Knesset.[35] He submitted his Knesset resignation on 2 July[36] and was replaced by Eitan Ginzburg on 4 July.[37] Eisenkot explained his reasoning for leaving at a press conference on 1 July, remarking that National Unity needed a "deep democratization process", which he argued had not taken place.[38]

Eisenkot said in an interview with Channel 12 may put himself forward as a prime ministerial candidate if it would give the "anti-Netanyahu bloc" an advantage in the next election.[39]

On 16 September 2025, Eisenkot announced he would be founding a political party, "Yashar! with Eisenkot".[40]

Political views

Eisenkot emphasizes both national-Jewish values and equal rights for all citizens. He identifies internal domestic polarization as a more pressing threat to Israel than external foes like Iran, urging citizens to bridge political divides and resist divisive leadership. To ensure a balanced and functional political system, he also calls for reforms to strengthen the separation of powers within the government.[41]

In 2020, Eisenkot advocated for a two-state solution with the Palestinians to maintain a Jewish-democratic state, while retaining major West Bank settlement blocs and the Jordan Valley.[41] In 2025, following the October 7 attacks, he stated that he thinks that "a Palestinian state is not relevant after October 7," and expressed opposition to "talk[ing] about a state and a prize after this murderous event." [42] He told The New Yorker in 2026 that he never subscribed to a "two states for two peoples" formula, asserting that those talking about "peace now" and a two-state solution fail to understand the deep-rooted nature of the religious-national conflict.[43]

In dealing with the Gaza Strip, Eisenkot supports a long-term ceasefire agreement that includes the return of Israeli captives, demobilization of Hamas missile and rocket capabilities, and under these conditions, he agrees to rehabilitation measures for Gaza, including the opening of a seaport. He believes in a proactive and firm security policy to erode enemy capabilities and deter those who oppose Israel's existence.[41]

Eisenkot indicated that he supports granting military service exemptions for up to three percent of Haredim enrolled at their yeshiva for religious studies but opposes the decades-old system that provided ultra-Orthodox men substantial exemptions.[44]

During his 2022 election campaign, Eisenkot stated “My worldview was and remains that full equality must be ensured and that all discrimination based on religion, race, sex, or sexual orientation must be fought. I have conducted myself according to these values throughout my life and in every position I have held.”[45]

Awards and decorations

First Lebanon War Second Lebanon War Operation Protective Edge

References

  1. ↑ "גאווה גדולה לאילת ולשבט אייזנקוט - יום יום באילת". www.ereverev.co.il. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  2. ↑ www.kikarhashabat.co.il
  3. ↑ Gilad, Elon (1 December 2014). "The Israeli army gets its first Moroccan chief-of-staff – so why the Ashkenazi name?". Haaretz. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  4. ↑ Horowitz, Dovid (2 December 2014). "New IDF Chief Eisenkot Of Moroccan Descent - Hamodia.com". Hamodia. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  5. ↑ "גאווה גדולה לאילת ולשבט אייזנקוט - יום יום באילת".
  6. ↑ New IDF chief: Cool and calculated, will strike hard and fast – but only if he must, Yoav Zitun & Michal Margalit, YNET, 29 November 2014
  7. ↑ Millward, David (7 December 2023). "Son of former IDF chief killed by Hamas tunnel bomb". The Telegraph.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  8. ↑ Horovitz, Michael; Fabian, Emanuel (9 December 2023). "Ex-IDF chief Eisenkot's nephew dies in Gaza fighting, day after Eisenkot's son killed". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  9. ↑ Fabian, Emanuel (17 November 2024). "Officer killed in Gaza is nephew of MK Gadi Eisenkot, 3rd close family member to fall in war". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  10. ↑ Gal Perl Finkel, Changing the rules in the Gaza Strip comes with a cost, The Jerusalem Post, 13 October 2018.
  11. ↑ Yoav Zitun, Michal Margalit, New IDF chief: Cool and calculated, will strike hard and fast – but only if he must, ynetnews, 29 November 2014.
  12. ↑ Maj. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot appointed Deputy to Chief of General Staff, IDF site (12 December 2012).
  13. ↑ Ze'ev Schiff, A Conversation With a Satisfied Customer, Haaretz, 18 May 2005.
  14. ↑ Eisenkot, Gadi (2010). "A Changed Threat? The Response on the Northern Arena" (PDF). Military and Strategic Affairs, Volume 2 No. 1, June 2010. Institute for National Security Studies. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 August 2016.
  15. ↑ "Eisencott replaces Adam as OC Northern Command". The Jerusalem Post. 19 October 2006. ISSN 0792-822X. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  16. ↑ Amos Harel (5 October 2008). "ANALYSIS / IDF plans to use disproportionate force in next war". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 27 May 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  17. ↑ "Israel warns Hizbullah war would invite destruction". Ynetnews. Reuters. 3 October 2008. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  18. ↑ Gadi Eisenkot, A Changed Threat? The Response on the Northern Arena Archived 17 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Military and Strategic Affairs, Volume 2 No. 1, June 2010.
  19. ↑ Maj. Gen. Yair Golan becomes new head of Northern Command, IDF site (11 July 2011).
  20. ↑ "אייזנקוט נכנס לתפקיד סגן הרמטכ"ל: "שמח להשתתף בחיזוק צה"ל" – חדשות 13". 13news.co.il. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  21. ↑ "הרמטכ"ל הבא: מינוי איזנקוט אושר בממשלה". ynet (in Hebrew). 14 December 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  22. ↑ Finkel, Gal Perl (1 January 2019). "The IDF that Eisenkot leaves behind is ready". The Jerusalem Post. ISSN 0792-822X. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  23. ↑ Finkel, Gal Perl (21 March 2017). "Win the close fight". The Jerusalem Post. ISSN 0792-822X. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  24. ↑ Finkel, Gal Perl (7 September 2016). "How to win a modern war". The Jerusalem Post. ISSN 0792-822X. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  25. ↑ "The IDF Strategy". IDF blog. IDF. 13 November 2015. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  26. ↑ Lifshitz, Itamar; Seri-Levy, Erez (2022). "Israel's inter-war campaigns doctrine: From opportunism to principle". Journal of Strategic Studies. 46 (2): 293–318. doi:10.1080/01402390.2022.2104254. S2CID 251508637. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  27. ↑ Siboni, Gabi; Bazak, Yuval; Finkel, Gal Perl (October 2017). "Alexander the Great Would Not Have Been Perplexed" (PDF). Strategic Assessment. 20 (3): 115–125. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  28. ↑ Gross, Judah Ari (5 August 2016). "US Army 'surprises' IDF chief with Legion of Merit medal". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  29. ↑ Mishnayot, Asaf (17 January 2019). "ציון מעורבלצד הישגים מרשימים במאבק בהתבססות איראן בסוריה התאפיינה כהונתו של איזנקוט בהתדרדרות המצב הביטחוני בפועל כמעט בכל החזיתות" [Mixed score - Alongside impressive achievements in the fight against Iran's entrenchment in Syria, Eisenkot's tenure was characterized by a deterioration in the actual security situation on almost all fronts]. Arutz Sheva (in Hebrew). Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  30. ↑ "אם ירוץ לפוליטיקה, איזנקוט לא יעלה בדעתו להצטרף לליכוד". www.maariv.co.il (in Hebrew). 6 December 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  31. ↑ ירושלמי, שלום (7 December 2020). "למה לו פוליטיקה עכשיו: כלל לא בטוח שאיזנקוט ירוץ בבחירות הבאות". www.zman.co.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  32. 1 2 "חברי הכנסת החדשים בכנסת ה-25| הרשימה המלאה". כיפה (in Hebrew). 2 November 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  33. ↑ Keller-Lynn, Carrie (12 October 2023). "Knesset okays war cabinet; PM: Saturday 'most horrible day for Jews since Holocaust'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  34. ↑ Sokol, Sam (9 June 2024). "Gantz quits war government, says PM preventing 'true victory' over Hamas, urges elections". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  35. ↑ Breuer, Eliav (30 June 2025). "MK Gadi Eisenkot announces split from Gantz's National Unity party". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  36. ↑ Sokol, Sam (2 July 2025). "National Unity's Eisenkot officially resigns from Knesset". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  37. ↑ "Members of 25th Knesset". Knesset. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  38. ↑ Sokol, Sam (1 July 2025). "After quitting Knesset, Eisenkot says he is working to build a 'governing alternative'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  39. ↑ "Eisenkot says he wants to be prime minister if it's right for Israel but declines to define his political ideology". The Times of Israel. 26 July 2025. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  40. ↑ "Former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot forms new Israeli political party". The Jerusalem Post. 16 September 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  41. 1 2 3 Eisenkot, Gadi (31 December 2020). "איזנקוט: "סוריה, לבנון ואיראן - לא איומים קיומיים. השבר מבית כן"" [Eisenkot: "Syria, Lebanon and Iran - not existential threats. The rift at home is."]. Ynet.
  42. ↑ Saidmehr, Simone (19 June 2026). "Who is Gadi Eisenkot, the Israeli politician who could dethrone Netanyahu?". The Forward. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  43. ↑ Remnick, David (27 July 2026). "How Netanyahu's Top General Became His Strongest Challenger". The New Yorker. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  44. ↑ "Eisenkot met Gafni after Haredi faction's rabbi called to dissolve Knesset last week — report". The Times of Israel. 25 May 2026.
  45. ↑ Lis, Jonathan (23 October 2022). "איזנקוט על זכויות הלהט"ב: "לא הייתי נכנס להם לחדר המיטות"" [Eisenkot on LGBT rights: “I would not enter their bedrooms”]. Haaretz (in Hebrew). Retrieved 30 July 2026.
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