Israel learned from Rabin’s murder. It must protect Gadi Eisenkot from rising threats

In Israel on 24 August 2026, the election campaign was in focus. One poll put Gadi Eisenkot ahead of Netanyahu by 10 points, and a party led by Winter would shrink the pro-Netanyahu bloc. Another poll put Eisenkot slightly ahead of Netanyahu on suitability for prime minister and Yashar larger than Likud. Netanyahu welcomed the locating of the Irgun arms ship Altalena, pledged to raise it from the sea and denounced Ben-Gurion for attacking it in 1948. Bereaved October 7 families said Israel is again downplaying the Hamas threat.

On Syria, Damascus said after an attack on a base that it wants to defuse tensions with Israel, and Syria and Israel are holding talks under US mediation that could resume despite deep mistrust. Die Presse wrote that Turkey and Israel face a war in Syria and that the election campaign raises the risk of war between them.