The person most courted in Israeli politics today is former Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, and with good reason.

Despite the increasing likelihood that a fourth round of elections will take place in the first half of 2021, the center left remains a house divided. The entire camp coalesced around the current defense minister and chairman of the Blue and White party as recently as two years ago, but he has since fallen in stature. Blue and White has split into two parties, and even in his own there are those who contest his leadership.

It was an exciting moment when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's fall after almost 12 years in power seemed feasible. It came in 2019, when three former chiefs of staff — Gantz, Gabi Ashkenazi and Moshe Ya’alon — joined forces. They then teamed up with the chair of Yesh Atid, Yair Lapid, who brought in his well-oiled operation. At the time, the large centrist party seemed like a real threat to Netanyahu. Then, last May, the new party crashed against reality when Gantz partnered with Netanyahu in a unity government to combat the coronavirus pandemic, leading to the dismantling of the Blue and White. Lapid remained outside the coalition, announcing that he would head the opposition dedicated to taking down Netanyahu.

It was a train wreck. From that point forward, the self-proclaimed alternatives to Netanyahu collapsed like a tower of cards. It all climaxed recently, when it became clear that even Ya’alon no longer believes that Lapid can get himself elected prime minister. Ya’alon embarrassed the Yesh Atid chairman last week when he revealed that secret talks were underway to create a new party headed by Eizenkot, the most recent chief of staff to retire, effectively admitting that Lapid does not offer a real alternative to Netanyahu.