Gadi Eisenkot presented the Yashar Party platform ahead of the elections in Haifa – watch the conference broadcast

(Hai Fa) – The Yashar Party platform was presented at a multi-participant conference in Haifa: About 1,200 residents of Haifa and the region participated in the conference of the Yashar! Party, held in the Haifa Auditorium on Wednesday, 9/23/26 (an impressive achievement for the party headquarters in the city). Gadi Eisenkot presented to the audience the main points of the party's platform ahead of the Knesset elections and addressed security, conscription, education, the economy, and democracy. The conference also featured speeches by attorneys David Etzioni and Shaul Meridor, who presented their vision for the future of the country in general and Haifa in particular. We are bringing you the full broadcast of the conference here.
* The conference was produced by members of the local branch, led by Attorney David Etzioni and Nir Shober.

Watch the opening remarks of Attorney David Etzioni

Attorney David Etzioni, a member of the Haifa City Council, who opened the conference after touring the city with Gadi Eisenkot and his team throughout the day and meeting with residents, presented the choice of Eisenkot as a choice that concerns the future of Israel's children. Etzioni also focused on Haifa and the north, claiming that the State of Israel has forgotten Haifa over the years and that this is reflected, among other things, in the continued operation of polluting factories that he said should not remain in the region, as well as in the employment situation in the north. He said that the Yeshar Party will work to strengthen Haifa and the north, to return budgets to the region, and to evacuate the polluting factories.

Etzioni also addressed the October 7 massacre and the upcoming election campaign. He said that the party's supporters face a task of getting people out to vote, and he called on participants to reach out to friends, neighbors, and family members and encourage them to participate in the elections. Etzioni argued that the turnout in Tel Aviv and Haifa will be significant for the election results and that getting Haifa residents to the polls will help the party advance its goal of forming a new government. He continued his remarks by addressing what he called the "poison machine" and emphasizing the leadership and integrity he attributes to Gadi Eisenkot.

Watch Eizenkot Clothing Presents the Yashar Party Platform

The campaign against Iran is not yet complete.

Gadi Eisenkot began his remarks by referring to the upcoming elections, defining them as the most important since the establishment of the state. According to him, Israel is at a historic crossroads and is facing a series of external threats and security challenges on several fronts. He referred to Iran and said that the campaign against it has not yet been completed and that the options on the table include continuing the campaign, sanctions, or ending it with an agreement. Eisenkot said that from his perspective, the campaign must end with the dismantling of the Iranian nuclear program. As part of his remarks, he claimed that Iran has 440 kilograms of enriched uranium and that this is a significant threat to the Middle East and the world.

Achieving war goals in a variety of arenas

Eisenkot then moved on to other arenas and addressed Lebanon, Gaza, Syria, and Judea and Samaria. He said that the campaigns must be ended while achieving their goals and improving Israel's strategic position. A central part of his speech was devoted to the October 7 debacle. Eisenkot claimed that three of the principles of national security collapsed that day: deterrence, warning, and defense. He described Hamas' penetration deep into Israeli territory and the fighting that developed, and on the other hand, he emphasized the solidarity in Israeli society, the fortitude of the fighters, the activity of the alert squads, and the citizens who took up arms and went out to fight.

Mobilization of reservists to save the country

Eisenkot said that he saw the mobilization of the reservists up close and that when he took his son to the 98th Division camp, he saw thousands of vehicles of fighters arriving for service. According to him, thousands of reservists left their homes and went to fight, leading to an impressive recovery of the security forces. At the same time, he claimed that the goals of the war were not fully achieved. He referred to the return of the kidnapped and said that in his opinion dozens more could have been returned alive.

The "betrayal theory" and the need for a state commission of inquiry

Another issue raised by Eisenkot was what he called the "betrayal theory" surrounding the events of October 7. He said that in meetings he held with young people in the preparatory school, he discovered that many of them believe that treason had occurred. Eisenkot said that these allegations must not be left unanswered, because, according to him, they harm society and the basic trust between the leadership and citizens. He pledged that a government headed by him would establish a state investigation committee that would examine the events of October 7, the period leading up to them, and even the conduct during the decade leading up to the event. According to him, the purpose of the investigation would be to understand the failures and prevent similar events from recurring in the future.

The question of the identity of the State of Israel and the urgent handling of a number of civil issues

From here, Eisenkot moved on to a series of civil issues, including the economy, living together, education, health, transportation, the climate crisis and air pollution. He also placed the question of the identity of the State of Israel at the center of his remarks, saying that he wants to see Israel as a Jewish, liberal, democratic and egalitarian state, a powerful state that is part of the community of nations and a national home for the Jews of the world. According to him, this requires political change and the victory of what he called the "Zionist change bloc."

Equal burden: military, national, or civilian service obligation

Another central part of Eisenkot's platform dealt with service to the state. He said that his party would work to establish mandatory military, national, or civilian service, and that the obligation should apply to all citizens, including Jews, Haredim, and Arabs. According to him, the principle would be equality of duties alongside equality of rights, and he presented this as one of the main conditions that his party would place before coalition partners. Eisenkot also presented an intention to promote a National Security Strategy for Israel law as part of the next government's first steps.

External and internal security

On the security issue, Eisenkot said that the next government will be required to strengthen national security, realize the war goals, and improve Israel's strategic position on all fronts. With regard to Lebanon, he presented the possibility of building a multinational force and establishing the IDF in front defense, until the security situation in Lebanon is regulated. He also addressed internal security, the phenomenon of protectionism, and criminal organizations. Eisenkot said that Yoram Cohen, the former head of the Shin Bet, is coordinating the handling of the issue within the Yashar party, and in his speech he presented the fight against crime as one of the areas in which the party intends to engage.

Peace agreements with our neighbors

Eisenkot also addressed Israel's relations with Egypt and Jordan, saying that peace agreements with neighboring countries should be strengthened. On the issue of Judea and Samaria, he said that the only military force in the region should be the IDF and that, from his perspective, a binational state would be a disaster for the Zionist enterprise. He said that the decision on the permanent status of Judea and Samaria would be postponed, and in the meantime, Israel would be required to provide security, fight terrorism, and enable economic development in the region. He added that the policy regarding the entry of illegal residents into Israel should be changed.

The field of education also occupied a central place in Eisenkot's words.

Eisenkot claimed that less than half of Israeli children attend state education and that many do not study core subjects, citizenship and compulsory service. According to him, there are young people who are not familiar with the Zionist ethos and the civic duty to serve. Eisenkot said that he intends to work to ensure that the education system converges with state education and that frameworks that do not agree to this will not be funded. He linked the change he is proposing to the need to strengthen the next generations of scientists, pilots and breadwinners in Israel and said that the state should stop rewarding non-work.

Economic goals

In the economic section of his speech, Eisenkot presented a number of goals, including housing for young people, addressing the cost of living, returning hundreds of thousands of people to the labor market, addressing regulation, and removing barriers to capital investment. He also spoke about the need to return to normal and bring tourism back to Israel. He also addressed small businesses, and in particular business owners serving in the reserves, saying that they should be rewarded and strengthened following the extended period in which they were required to combine military service with running a business.

Eisenkot also devoted part of his remarks to Israeli democracy.

He claims that in the current Knesset, parliamentary oversight has been weakened and consideration for minority opinions has been harmed. He referred to the relationship between the Knesset and the judicial system, respect for the President of the Supreme Court, calls to disrespect court rulings, and legislation that he defined as anti-democratic. According to him, the balance between the political system and the judicial system has been violated. He also mentioned the issue of the National Security Council and his opposition to transferring responsibility for it to the Minister of Justice.

The young, the periphery, and the Israelis who left the country

Eisenkot said he intends to advance a plan to return hundreds of thousands of Israelis who left the country and strengthen the Zionist ethos through settlement, security and agriculture. He spoke about leadership and the importance he attaches to telling the truth to the public, as well as integrating young people into the Yeshar party's list for the Knesset. He said that along with presenting a vision, the ability to execute is also required, which is why the party has formulated a plan for the first 100 days of government.

The 100-day plan for initial and rapid treatment of several core problems

As part of the Hundred Days Plan, Eisenkot presented a series of decisions that he wants to promote. According to him, the first decision will be a conscription law that will apply to everyone, and the second will be the establishment of a state investigation committee. Another decision will be the promotion of compulsory state education. Eisenkot said that he also intends to stop coalition funds and direct resources to strengthening the periphery and core issues of the country. In addition, he presented an intention to limit the term of office of the prime minister, reduce the number of government ministers to 24, and promote a law that will limit the possibility of an accused person running for prime minister.

Coordination with the leaders of the Zionist parties

Towards the end of his speech, Eisenkot referred to the need for coordination with the heads of the parties that he defined as Zionist. He presented the goal of the political process as restoring hope to the State of Israel and spoke of strength, partnership, and unity among the people. These words concluded a broad speech in which he sought to present to the audience in Haifa the priorities of the Yashar party ahead of the elections, ranging from security and policy issues, through service and education, to the economy, democracy, the periphery, and the structure of the government.

Watch Shaul Meridor: The Right to Dream of a Better Country

The right to dream of a different reality

Shaul Meridor of the Yeshar party dedicated his speech at the conference to the idea of ​​hope and the right, according to him, of Israeli citizens to dream of a different reality. He said that the public has become accustomed to thinking in terms of eternal war and asked the participants to imagine a country that provides security to its citizens and allows them to live in prosperity. Meridor spoke about the possibility of purchasing an apartment, making ends meet, and living in a country where public systems work for the citizens. He also referred to Haifa, saying that one should dream of developing the city and creating conditions that will attract young people.

A country that respects its citizens and works for them

Meridor continued by calling for the imagination of a state that respects its citizens and works for them, and not the other way around. He presented the need for unifying leadership that does not divide the public and said that in the past, Israel knew leaders who spoke the truth to the public and saw their role as a service to all citizens. According to him, leaders should be role models. Meridor presented Gadi Eisenkot as someone who, in his opinion, represents this type of leadership, and called on conference participants to help the Yashar Party turn the vision he presented into reality.

More from the conference – Commitment to eliminating polluting industry