Eisenkot’s party promises to “rebuild trust with the UK” and tackle settler violence

Yashar, the opposition frontrunner led by former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, held a major campaign rally in Tel Aviv last night. Lian Polak-David, an international strategic adviser and a candidate on Yashar’s Knesset list, spoke to Jewish News about Israel’s diplomatic crisis with Britain and other European countries and the party’s plans to address it.

“Netanyahu has brought us to being on the verge of being a pariah state. He also gave it a name: we’re going to be, according to his vision, a super Sparta, which is of course a lunatic idea. This is exactly the opposite of what we should be,” Polak-David told Jewish News. “We have a lot to rectify. But the first thing is really to change the government – a responsible government that does not do or declare any very radical kind of agendas that have gotten us to where we are today,” she said.

“Then it’s about building back trust. We need to get back to our allies. The UK is indeed one of those allies. That does not mean that we agree on everything that the current UK government decides upon, but still, the UK is our ally. We need to regain that trust and regain that dialogue.

“The first thing that we need to do, which is of urgent, desperate need for change, is basically stop the violence that is happening in the West Bank by extremist groups, very small groups that cause a lot of damage, that don’t represent the Israeli values, the Jewish values, that don’t represent the Israeli spirit.

“[They] cause us a lot of damage, not just by impeding the security forces in the West Bank from doing what they should be doing, which is taking care of terrorism. They create a lot of damage in the global arena, and we have to stop that right away. We have a plan to do it. We’re very determined to do it. And that’s going to happen in the very first few weeks of our government,” Polak-David promised.

Polak-David expressed confidence that Israel would be able to avoid further sanctions: “We’re going to be what we are, which is a peace-loving country that on one hand protects its citizens and ensures that our security and the security of our nation and of our citizens is indeed secured, but on the other hand extends for peace and establishes relationships, deep relationships across the board — security, science, research, business, and trade. This is who we are, and this is exactly what we’re going to be doing with the UK.”

Relations between Israel and the UK, along with several European countries, have deteriorated sharply over the war in Gaza, settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank. Britain suspended some arms export licences in 2024, halted free trade negotiations and recognised a Palestinian state in 2025. In September 2026, Britain, France and Canada announced plans to ban imports from Israeli settlements, prompting Israel to announce the closure of the British consulate in Jerusalem and restrictions on British officials. Following negotiations, the consulate was renamed the UK Mission in October, with its diplomatic presence reduced.

At the rally, which attracted thousands of Yashar activists, Eisenkot delivered a speech warning about the consequences of another Netanyahu government. “Israel is an island in a sea of threats. Anyone who thinks our Israel can survive another four years like these is living under a dangerous misconception,” he warned.

“I see the polls, I know the data, and I know Netanyahu,” Eisenkot said, warning that the current prime minister “will stop at nothing — no lie, no extreme measure — to stay in power.”

Among the policies Eisenkot pledged to introduce were an independent state commission of inquiry into 7 October, rehabilitation plans for northern and southern Israel, both affected by the recent wars, a national cabinet to tackle crime, and legislation mandating conscription for all. He also pledged that within 18 months, “Hamas won’t rule Gaza. No person is more committed to this than me.” Eisenkot lost his son Gal and other family members during the war in Gaza.