Huge Breakthrough: Gadi Eisenkot’s Brilliant Move

Dudi Hassid’s dramatic poll in Yisrael Hayom, which for the first time placed Gadi Eisenkot at 20 mandates, above Naftali Bennett’s 19, continues to spark waves of commentary in the political system. The paper’s political commentator, Shirit Avitan Cohen, analyzes the data and points to a brilliant strategic move by Eisenkot, alongside a serious tactical mistake by Bennett’s advisers.

Avitan Cohen notes that only a few weeks ago, Eisenkot publicly demanded that the heads of the bloc’s parties sign a commitment that whoever heads the largest party would lead and form the government. Now, in light of the turnaround in the polls, that demand is proving to have been a carefully planned move. Eisenkot essentially paved his own way to leadership of the bloc, while making clear in every interview that the “experiment” of the previous government of change, in which a leader of a small party, Naftali Bennett, ran the country, failed and did not ensure stability.

The Haredi mistake by Bennett

A central part of Avitan Cohen’s analysis concerns the militant line Bennett recently adopted on religion and state issues. According to her, the current shift is an important lesson for Bennett’s behind-the-scenes advisers, who recommended that he significantly sharpen his tone against the Haredi public as a whole, in a style reminiscent of the historic Shinui party. As it turns out, that strategy pushed away broad audiences. The Israeli public is currently looking for a figure perceived as more statesmanlike, even in the arena of religion-state relations.

While Bennett is taking a confrontational line, Eisenkot is presenting the opposite approach. He makes a point of maintaining ongoing dialogue with the Haredim, and offers them alternatives for integration in the form of national service, not just compulsory military enlistment. According to the analysis, this statesmanlike and inclusive approach enabled him to draw as many as three mandates directly from Bennett within just one week.