Eisenkot said to propose to opposition chiefs they all agree to nominate leader of largest party for PM after election

By Sam Sokol 31 May 2026, 9:00 pm

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Sam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

Former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, speaks during a conference at Tel Aviv University, May 12, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/ Flash90)

Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot recently proposed to his fellow leaders of the so-called anti-Netanyahu “change bloc” that they all agree to recommend the leader of the largest opposition party as prime minister following the upcoming election, Channel 12 reports.

According to the network, such an agreement could help tamp down on internecine fighting within the bloc.

Addressing party activists on Sunday evening, The Democrats chairman Yair Golan insisted that he does “not promise that we will endorse the leader of the largest party, but rather whoever agrees to our values.”

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett has presented himself as the next prime minister, a position endorsed by Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, while Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman recently told reporters that his goal for the upcoming election is to become prime minister.

According to a Channel 12 poll aired on Friday evening, 45 percent of voters of parties currently in the Knesset opposition prefer Eisenkot, compared to 36% who choose Bennett as bloc leader.