Eisenkot Challenges Netanyahu to Televised Debate; Likud Responds with Scorn

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the "Yesh!" party, has formally invited Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu to a televised debate to be held the week before the elections and broadcast live. In a letter sent to the Likud headquarters, Eisenkot proposed a "direct and public" debate between the two.

Eisenkot's team stated they are willing to grant Netanyahu significant leeway in setting the terms, including choosing the broadcast channel, the moderators, and the debate rules. They explained the debate aims to allow the public to receive direct answers from both candidates on key issues, suggesting an agreement on a framework for "substantive and comprehensive answers" and a fair, respectful dialogue.

Eisenkot reiterated the invitation at his party's rally, stating, "Let him choose the channel, let him choose the moderators, let him set the rules." The Likud party, however, has not immediately accepted the challenge. Zvika Brodt, the Likud campaign manager, responded dismissively, asking if Eisenkot would attend alone or with Mansour Abbas, Tibi, and Yair Golan.

Yonatan Urich, a close advisor to Netanyahu and campaign official, suggested the timing of the invitation indicates Eisenkot's political standing. "Calling for a debate three weeks before elections equals panic," Urich wrote, adding, "Apparently, even Eisenkot sees the real polls. We will continue with all our might, because it's either right-wing or Palestine."

This is not the first time Eisenkot has called for a direct debate with Netanyahu, who has not yet responded to such proposals. Televised debates between prime ministerial candidates were once a staple of Israeli politics but have become rare in recent decades. The last notable debate involving Netanyahu as a prime ministerial candidate was in 1999 against Yitzhak Mordechai, though Ehud Barak, the main rival, chose not to participate.