Personality or Party – an ongoing dilemma in Israeli Politics - Letter to The Editor
Updated: 3 days ago
Max Moss
With the advent of the upcoming elections in Israel at the end of October once again the Israeli voter is confronted with a dilemma that he/she has confronted a number of times in past elections – that being - should I vote for a party or should I vote for a personality. I believe the dilemma is not unique to Israel and folks who live in countries with similar electoral systems face the same question. I’d like to take the opportunity to share with you and your readers my point of view within the context of the Israeli electoral system and more specifically in the context of – do I vote for the Democratim (a party based on a merger between Labour and Meretz – long standing players in Israel’s political landscape) or do I vote for a newly formed party recently formed by supporters of Gabi Eisenkot – a former I.D.F. chief of Staff. Without Gadi Eisenkot there would be no Yashar.
Gadi Eisenkot’s previous political affiliation was with the National Unity party (an electoral alliance led by Benny Gantz and Gideon Sa'ar). He served as a Member of the Knesset (MK) from November 15, 2022, until July 4, 2025, sitting as a member of the opposition and later serving as a minister without portfolio and observer in the emergency war cabinet from 2023 until his resignation in June 2024. Two months after resigning his seat in the Knesset and leaving the National Unity party he formed Yashar – a new player in the Israel political scene - in September 2025. Polls currently indicate that Yashar potentially could lead a coalition of parties – including amongst others the Democratim - that could unseat the current regime.
Back to the issue at hand - a vote in a parliamentary election should not be primarily a vote for a person. It should be a vote for the political direction, principles and policies that we want represented in the Knesset and, ultimately, in the government.
In Israel we vote for party lists, not directly for a Prime Minister. The composition of the Knesset determines the possibilities for coalition formation, and relatively small parties can have considerable influence over the policies and priorities of a coalition.
“I want Eisenkot to be Prime Minister” does not logically entail “I should vote for Eisenkot's party.” Even if I believe Gadi Eisenkot is the person I would most like to see leading the next government - my vote should go to the party whose political programme most closely represents the policies and values I want that government to pursue.
The voter should separate the leader from the government. Eisenkot's personal appeal is real and should not be dismissed. He brings with him
a distinguished military record;
experience as Chief of Staff;
a reputation for seriousness and professionalism;
a relatively restrained and non-theatrical personal style;
credibility on national security;
an image of personal integrity and responsibility.
But none of those qualities constitutes a political programme. A Prime Minister does not govern alone. He governs through a coalition, a Cabinet, his Knesset majority, party leadership and government institutions. So a key question we should be asking ourselves is: - what political forces do I want surrounding Eisenkot and involved in determining the policies of his government?
Israel has repeatedly demonstrated the danger of “leader-first” politics. Israeli voters have repeatedly placed enormous electoral weight on the personality of a new or relatively new political leader, only to discover that the subsequent political trajectory of the party and its leader is considerably more complicated than the electoral image suggested.
The history of Kadima is a useful illustration. Kadima became Israel's largest party in 2009 under Tzipi Livni but did not form the government; Netanyahu was able to assemble a blocking coalition.
A key element in our thinking should be: - Don't confuse confidence in an individual with confidence in the political institution that will surround and constrain that individual.
We should be asking ourselves – “who do we want around and who will influence Eisenkot?” Would a voter who broadly agrees with the Democratim's political worldview necessarily be better served by giving Eisenkot another Knesset seat? Or could that voter achieve more by strengthening the Democratim as an independent political force within the coalition? For arguments sake let’s look at two possible election outcomes:
Option A | versus | Option B |
Yashar 30 | Yashar 24 | |
Democratim 5 | Democratim 11 |
If both options produce an Eisenkot-led government, the second could potentially give the Democratim considerably greater bargaining power over:
the coalition agreement;
ministerial appointments;
legislation;
religion and state;
democratic institutions;
judicial policy;
civil rights;
economic and social policy;
relations between different sectors of Israeli society;
the nature of Israel's long-term political settlement.
The precise influence would depend on the coalition mathematics, of course. But this is the key strategic distinction. A voter isn't merely choosing a Prime Minister. They are choosing the balance of power inside the next Knesset and the forces residing within the coalition.
Supporting Eisenkot for Prime Minister and voting for the Democratim for the Knesset are not contradictory choices. They can be two parts of the same political strategy.
Eisenkot provides the leadership - the Democratim provide additional political weight in the direction in which the voter wants the government to move.
We should be asking ourselves - What do I want my vote to say about the issues themselves? “Which political programme do I want represented by my vote?”
What is the party's position on security?
What is its position on the future of Gaza?
What is its approach to the Palestinians?
What is its position on settlements?
What does it propose regarding Haredi military service?
What does it propose regarding religion and state?
What is its approach to judicial and democratic institutions?
What is its economic and social programme?
What does it propose for relations between Jewish and Arab citizens?
What institutional reforms does it want?
In our voting practice we should not merely help elect the Prime Minister we prefer. We should help determine the political price that Prime Minister will have to pay to form and maintain his government.
The choice is not Eisenkot versus the Democratim. The choice is between an Eisenkot-led government with a particular balance of political forces and an Eisenkot-led government with a different balance of political forces. “Eisenkot may be exactly the leader I want — but I still need to decide what kind of government I want him to lead.”
I may want Gadi Eisenkot to be Israel's next Prime Minister. But that does not mean that my Knesset vote should automatically go to his party. The Prime Minister is only one component of a coalition government. My vote should also express the policies, values and institutional direction I want that government to pursue. If I believe that the Democrats best represent those priorities, then voting for the Democratim is not voting against Eisenkot. It is voting for an Eisenkot government in which the Democratim have the strength to influence its direction.
Max Moss – September 2026
