Adviser warns Netanyahu against debating Eisenkot

Communications adviser Ronen Tzur told Kol Barama radio on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be taking a major risk if he accepts Gadi Eisenkot's challenge to a televised debate ahead of the February 11 election.

"Netanyahu is on an upward trend right now. He completely controls the agenda," Tzur said. "The opposition is nowhere to be seen. If Netanyahu had been opposition leader during the plane incident, we would have seen 180 body bags outside Prime Minister Eisenkot's or Bennett's house."

Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party and a former IDF chief of staff, issued a formal invitation to the prime minister for a direct, public debate to be broadcast live across all Israeli media. "In 23 days, Israel will hold its most fateful election, at a critical crossroads for the security and future of the State of Israel," Eisenkot wrote. "On October 27, three years after the worst failure in Israel's history, the most severe and terrible disaster we have known, the people of Israel will choose a leader."

Eisenkot noted that "the prime minister refuses to establish a commission of inquiry and refuses to release the full protocols, in a way that harms public trust in state institutions and endangers Israel with another disaster. By virtue of the duty of a person seeking to lead, to give full, direct and honest answers to the voters. On the eve of the memorial day for the October 7 massacre, after the heavy prices the people of Israel paid, it is fitting that they receive clear and complete answers, without spin and lies."

He added that "as is customary in democratic countries, both sides will commit to holding a balanced, fair and respectful debate, as befits the people of Israel: 1. A format will be set that allows substantive and comprehensive answers, and will enable all media outlets in Israel to broadcast it. 2. The debate moderators will be journalists chosen by the editors of the news channels. 3. The rules of the debate and discussion, time allocation, question format and more, will be determined between the chosen moderators and representatives of the candidates' campaigns."

"Subject to the above rules, we are ready for a debate immediately," Eisenkot concluded. "I would be happy to coordinate a meeting to continue discussion and coordination of details for holding the debate as soon as possible."