Gadi Eisenkot and the Palestinian economy: What could really change if he leads Israel? - opinion

An opinion piece examines how Gadi Eisenkot's potential leadership could affect the Palestinian economy, focusing on the interconnected economic system between Israel and the Palestinian Authority under the 1994 Paris Protocol. The analysis centers on three key areas: Palestinian workers' access to the Israeli labor market, movement restrictions across the West Bank, and the stability of clearance revenues. The author notes Eisenkot's 2022 warning against dismantling the PA and his recent position on allowing screened Palestinian workers into Israel, but emphasizes he has not announced a detailed economic program.

An opinion piece by Nabil Kukali examines what Palestinians could realistically expect economically if Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar Party, leads Israel's next government. The analysis grounds itself in the deeply interconnected economic system created by the 1994 Paris Economic Protocol, noting that the Israeli shekel is the dominant currency in Palestinian transactions, clearance revenues are a major source of PA income, and much Palestinian trade moves through Israeli-controlled crossings. The author identifies three key tests for Eisenkot's approach: Palestinian workers' access to the Israeli labor market, movement restrictions across the West Bank, and the stability of clearance revenues. On workers, the piece cites Eisenkot's August 27 interview with Israel Hayom where he argued the broad ban on Palestinian workers had not prevented unauthorized entry and suggested allowing screened family breadwinners to work under Shin Bet supervision. On movement, the author cites OCHA's April 2026 report of 925 movement obstacles across the West Bank. On clearance revenues, the piece cites an INSS analysis showing revenues fell from NIS 8.8 billion in 2022 to approximately NIS 2 billion in 2025, with over NIS 4 billion withheld in 2025. The author notes Eisenkot has not announced specific policies on clearance revenues or a detailed economic program, but argues that preventing PA collapse cannot be separated from the economy that enables it to function.