Netanyahu or Eisenkot? Where their visions for Israel’s security align - and collide

The article compares the security visions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot ahead of the 2026 election. Both agree on the Iranian threat but differ on tactics. Neither has a clear plan for Gaza, though Eisenkot would advance Trump's cease-fire plan. They are far apart on the West Bank, with Eisenkot vowing to crack down on Jewish extremists.

The article compares the national security visions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot ahead of the 2026 Israeli election. On Iran, both see the threat similarly and would oppose a bad deal with Tehran, but differ in approach: Netanyahu would be more publicly confrontational to influence US opinion, while Eisenkot would keep opposition private. Neither candidate has a clear plan for Gaza. Netanyahu insists on absolute victory over Hamas and keeping Gaza in ruins until the group disarms, a strategy the article calls unconvincing given three years of limited progress. Eisenkot would advance Trump's cease-fire plan, empowering PA-linked technocrats and international peacekeepers, and allow partial rebuilding for partial disarmament. On the West Bank, the two are far apart: Eisenkot would reinstate administrative detention for Jewish extremists, overhaul police leadership, and replace Shin Bet Director David Zini, while Netanyahu has allowed the suspension of such measures. The article notes that despite differences, neither candidate supports a Palestinian state in a first term.