In a significant shakeup within Israeli politics, the National Unity party revealed on Sunday that MK Gadi Eisenkot, its second-ranking member and a former IDF chief of staff, would be stepping down from both the party and the Knesset.
“Member of Knesset Lt. Gen. (res.) Gadi Eisenkot informed National Unity Party chairman Benny Gantz of his intention to leave the party and return his mandate to it,” the official party statement read. “The two emphasized their long-standing friendship and mutual respect, and stated that they will continue to collaborate toward shared goals and for the benefit of the people of Israel in the future as well,” the statement added.
Eisenkot had joined Gantz for the 2022 election campaign under the condition that the party would move toward greater internal democracy, including leadership primaries. However, Gantz did not follow through on that commitment.
Although the party declared on June 1 that it would introduce reforms aimed at democratizing its internal structure, those changes still gave Gantz full authority to appoint the 150-person committee responsible for selecting the party leader. This arrangement effectively blocked Eisenkot from mounting a legitimate leadership challenge.
In light of his departure, Eisenkot has reportedly held talks with both Yair Lapid, who heads the opposition, and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. He is said to be weighing the possibility of aligning with one or both of them in advance of the next national election.
Eisenkot’s exit will open a seat for the next candidate on the National Unity list—former Ra’anana mayor and current MK Eytan Ginzburg—who will now enter the Knesset.
This development delivers a blow to Gantz, who has tried to present a solid alliance with Eisenkot in the face of persistent rumors that Eisenkot was planning to leave. He becomes the fifth lawmaker to depart the party, following the March 2024 exit of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who split from Gantz over disagreements on Gaza policy while the party was still part of the ruling coalition.
Shortly after the news was made public, Gantz issued a personal statement: “Following a deep and lengthy process of conversations between us, my friend Gadi Eisenkot informed me today that he has decided to leave the National Unity party and resign from the Knesset. In recent weeks, significant ideological differences have emerged between us regarding the right way to serve the State of Israel,” Gantz said.
“Gadi is, first and foremost, a personal friend. He is a worthy individual who has served the country for decades, and I am confident he will continue to serve it in his own way. Even if our political partnership has come to an end at this time — our friendship and mutual respect will remain,” Gantz concluded.
{Matzav.com}