Gadi Eisenkot

Gadi Eisenkot (גדי איזנקוט; born 19 May 1960), also spelt Eizenkot, is an Israeli general and politician from the Israeli National Unity party. He served as the 21st Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces from 2015 to 2019 and from 2023 to 2024, as a minister without portfolio in Israel's unity government. Eisenkot, who grew up in Eilat, pursued maritime studies and later served in the IDF's Golani Brigade. He holds a B.A. in History from Tel Aviv University and a post-graduate degree in Political Science from Haifa University. Married with five children, he resides in Herzliya. One of his sons, Gal, was killed in action during the 2023 Israel-Hamas war.

Throughout his military career, Eisenkot held various leadership roles in the Golani Brigade and other IDF divisions. He served as the Military Secretary for Prime Minister Ehud Barak and later as the Chief of Staff of the IDF. During his tenure as Chief of Staff, Eisenkot focused on strengthening IDF ground forces and implementing the "Gideon" multi-year plan, which emphasized force buildup and the formation of a cyber command.

Eisenkot's political views advocate for a state rooted in national-Jewish values while ensuring equal rights for all citizens. He supports a two-state solution with the Palestinians, prioritizing the Jordan Valley and settlement blocs, and advocates for a long-term ceasefire and demilitarization in the Gaza Strip. Eisenkot emphasizes the need for a robust security policy and internal unity in Israel, viewing domestic polarization as a significant threat. He advocates for reforms to strengthen the separation of powers within the Israeli government.

Biography
Gadi Eisenkot was born in Tiberias, in northern Israel. He is the second of four children born to Meir and Esther Eisenkot, Jewish Moroccan immigrants from the town of Safi. His mother was born in Casablanca, and his father was born in Marrakesh. It is thought that the family name was originally Azenkot and was changed to Eisenkot by a clerk after his father immigrated to Israel. After his parents divorced, his father remarried and had four more children.

Eisenkot grew up in the southern port city of Eilat, and studied at Goldwater High School, majoring in maritime studies. After high school he was drafted to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and served in the Golani Brigade.

He graduated with a B.A. in History from Tel Aviv University and later completed a post-graduate degree at Haifa University in Political science.

He is married and the father of five children. He currently resides in Herzliya.

On 12 October 2023, he was sworn in as a minister without portfolio after his party joined the government following the outbreak of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.

One of his children, Master Sergeant Gal Meir Eisenkot, was killed in the war in Gaza in December 2023, at the age of 25.

Eisenkot left the government in June 2024.

Military career
Eisenkot did his military service in the Golani Brigade, of which he became commander in 1997–98. He served as a soldier, a squad leader and a platoon leader. In the First Lebanon War he served as a Company commander in the Golani brigade. During the South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000) he served as the brigade's Operations Officer and as the commander of the Golani Orev Company. Later, he served as Golani's 13th Battalion commander, the Deputy to the Commander of the Brigade and an operations officer of the Northern Command. Afterwards he served as Carmeli Brigade's commander and as the commander of the Ephraim Brigade. In 1997 he replaced Col. Erez Gerstein and was appointed commander of the Golani Brigade.

In 1999 Eisenkot was selected to be the Military Secretary for the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense under then Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Since then he has commanded the 366th Division and the Judea and Samaria Division, where he led the Campaign against Palestinian political violence. He was promoted to head of Israeli Operations Directorate in June 2005. After the conclusions exercise "joining of forces" Eisenkot led the formulation of the concept on which the IDF must severely damage the center of gravity of Hezbollah, the Dahiya neighborhood, as a key component for creating deterrence against Hezbollah.

After Maj. Gen. Udi Adam resigned in October 2006 amid criticism over his conduct in the 2006 Lebanon War, Eisenkot replaced him as head of the Northern Command. In his years as the head of the Northern Command he emphasizes the training of forces, strengthening the capacities of command and creating an appropriate operational response to threats from Hezbollah and Syria.

On 11 July 2011, the position was transferred to Maj. Gen. Yair Golan. Afterwards he served as Deputy Chief of General Staff in place of Maj. Gen. Yair Naveh, assuming office on 14 January 2013. On 28 November 2014, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chose Eisenkot as the successor to Gen. Benny Gantz as the Chief of Staff of the IDF.

Chief of Staff of the IDF
Eisenkot took office on 16 February 2015. Upon taking office he began to promote measures to strengthen the ground forces, including infantry training reinforcement and armor, reducing the volume of reserve forces on the one hand and reinforcing the amount of training on the other hand. In addition he emphasizes the training of forces regarding the threat of tunnels. Eisenkot ordered the implementation of the multi-year plan "Gideon" that was formed under his direction. "Gideon" was presented in July 2015 and it was approved by the cabinet in April 2016. The plan involves a variety of issues which such as force buildup to a range of threats, strengthening and developing the IDF's maneuvering capabilities, eliminating redundant arrays and the constructing a cyber command. At the heart of multi-year plan stands "The IDF Strategy".

An essential element relates to the purpose of ending the conflict in the shortest time. "The IDF Strategy" attempts to achieve this response by changing the pattern of the use of force utilizing an immediate and simultaneous attack that combines maneuver and fire. "The IDF Strategy" also includes the strategic concept of campaigns between the wars (CBW), in which the IDF operate covertly in order to preserve and enhance the achievements of the previous campaigns, to weaken the enemy and to postpone the next conflict. In August 2016 Eisenkot was awarded with the Commander of the Legion of Merit by general Joseph Dunford. The award was given due to Eisenkot's "exceptionally meritorious service as chief of the General Staff of the IDF" and his "contribution to the strategic cooperation between the United States and Israel will have a lasting effect on both countries".

Political views
Eisenkot holds a vision for Israel that balances national-Jewish values with equal rights for all citizens, regardless of religion, nationality, race, and gender. He views Syria, Lebanon, and Iran not as existential threats, but rather emphasizes the internal challenge of domestic polarization in Israel. Eisenkot advocates for a two state solution with the Palestinians to maintain a Jewish-democratic state and avoid a bi-national state, insisting on the permanent conservation of the Jordan Valley and settlement blocs.

In dealing with the Gaza Strip, Eisenkot supports a long-term ceasefire agreement that includes the return of Israeli captives, demobilization of Hamas missile and rocket capabilities, and under these conditions, he agrees to rehabilitation measures for Gaza, including the opening of a seaport. He believes in a proactive and firm security policy to erode enemy capabilities and deter those who oppose Israel's existence.

Eisenkot identifies domestic polarization as a more pressing threat than external enemies. He urges Israelis to bridge the divides between political camps and resist being led by divisive figures. Finally, Eisenkot calls for reforms to strengthen the separation of powers within Israel's government, ensuring a balanced and functional political system.