Gadi Eisenkot Suggests Netanyahu Opposed First Openly Gay IDF General's Appointment

Gadi Eisenkot, former IDF Chief of Staff and current chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, revealed on Sunday that when he proposed Sharon Afek as the next Military Advocate General, he encountered opposition he implied came from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu due to Afek's sexual orientation. Afek was the first openly gay general in the Israel Defense Forces. Eisenkot recounted that after announcing Afek's nomination to then-Defense Minister Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon, Ya'alon initially expressed enthusiasm but later said "there is a problem." Eisenkot said they discussed and agreed there was no real issue, and the appointment proceeded. He noted, "Check who was the Prime Minister. The same Prime Minister who once said 'there is a problem' because Afek is openly gay."

In response, the Likud party dismissed Eisenkot's claims, stating Netanyahu was responsible for appointing Amir Ohana as Knesset Speaker based on merit, not as a figurehead. They accused Eisenkot of making baseless statements to distract from his political alliances with Yair Golan and Arab parties.

Currently, Sharon Afek serves as Deputy Legal Advisor to the Government and heads the advisory and legislative division at the Ministry of Justice, having succeeded Attorney Raz Nazari. Eisenkot made these remarks during a conference on equality laws hosted by the Saguy Center for Equality in Life.

This disclosure sheds light on internal political resistance to LGBTQ+ representation in senior military roles and highlights ongoing tensions within Israel's political landscape regarding appointments and inclusivity.