Gadi Eizenkot Reveals Coalition MPs Proposed Alternative Government After October 7 Attack

Gadi Eizenkot, chairman of the Yashar party and former IDF Chief of Staff, disclosed that about a month after the October 7 attacks, coalition members explored forming an alternative government with him as prime minister. Speaking at the Herzliya Conference hosted by the Reichman Institute, Eizenkot said coalition MKs approached him to lead a government through a constructive vote of no confidence against Benjamin Netanyahu, but the effort ultimately failed.

At the time, Eizenkot was the second-in-command to Benny Gantz within the National Unity camp, meaning the proposed government would have placed him at the helm, bypassing Gantz. Eizenkot sharply criticized Gantz for considering Netanyahu a political partner, stating, "It is inconceivable that anyone would see him as a partner after the failure of October 7."

Eizenkot also attacked Netanyahu’s recent claims on Channel 14 that Iran already possessed nuclear weapons, calling them "absurd" and accusing Netanyahu of fabricating threats to scare the Israeli public. Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett presented a security document from January 2022 outlining a plan to weaken the Iranian regime. Bennett accused Netanyahu of abandoning this strategy, which included establishing multiple overt and covert operational channels and maintaining internet connectivity in Iran despite regime attempts to cut it off.

Eizenkot emphasized that the overriding goal is to win the upcoming elections and establish a Zionist and national government in Israel. The revelations highlight ongoing political maneuvering within the coalition amid national security concerns and criticism of Netanyahu’s leadership following the October 7 attacks.