Not long ago, former Fox News investigative reporter Catherine Herridge began a painful daily ritual. With her oldest son for support, she walked to the mailbox at the end of her street and dropped an envelope into the mail. It contained a check for a daily fine of $800 that she was ordered to pay to coerce her into revealing her confidential sources in a national security story that aired on Fox News in 2017. The money came from the college funds of her two children.

As Herridge drained the savings of her military family, an alleged former colonel in the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) was demanding that a court increase the daily fine to $5,000. A court later rescinded the fines, but they will be reimposed unless the Supreme Court takes Herridge’s case and reverses the lower courts.

Yanping Chen led a school called the University of Management and Technology (UMT) in Northern Virginia, which catered to U.S. service members. According to investigators and experts, Chen’s past in the Chinese military suggested that UMT posed a national security danger, including by potentially gathering information on military personnel participating in its programs. The Department of Justice declined to prosecute Chen. Nevertheless, after Herridge's investigative report, the government terminated its contracts with UMT because it considered the school a national security risk.

$800-A-DAY PENALTY THREATENS TO BLEED REPORTER DRY AS EXPLOSIVE LEGAL FIGHT HEADS TO SUPREME COURT

In her investigation, Herridge published details that directly contradicted Chen, who denied being a colonel in the PLA. Herridge showed photos in her report of Chen in her PLA uniform, and a whistleblower said on camera that UMT collected information on the military training of its students and it was all remotely accessible from China on UMT’s computers.

All of that would seem to be the makings of a Pulitzer, not a court sanction. It is not uncommon for journalists to be sued by aggrieved subjects of their stories for defamation or other civil claims. Those cases are routinely rejected given the protections for the press under First Amendment cases like New York Times v. Sullivan, requiring a higher burden of proof from public figures suing the media.

However, Chen did not sue for defamation. She did not even name Herridge as a party. After all, Herridge is not being accused of writing anything false. Instead, Chen latched onto a clever tactic. The alleged PLA colonel sued under a law that does not exist in China: the Privacy Act. The Privacy Act regulates the government’s collection, storage, and use of private information, and includes a private right of action for citizens to sue for abuses or violations. She accused government officials of violating her privacy by serving as confidential sources to Herridge. Her counsel then subpoenaed Herridge and demanded that she reveal her sources. She refused.

What is particularly alarming about this case is that the Privacy Act complaint was anemic and dubious from the outset. Much of what Chen references in her filing was available in the public domain. For example, Stephen Rhoads, a whistleblower and former UMT employee, was an FBI informant in the case and said publicly that Chen had admitted to him that she had been a PLA colonel and told him to lie about that fact when he was called to testify before a federal grand jury.

Any viable claim is primarily based on the photos. However, given all the other information in the public domain, it would have been difficult to argue that the photos caused Chen substantial harm. Her association and alleged hidden former rank as a PLA colonel led the government to take action against her and UMT.

However, Herridge had to litigate her claims of journalistic privilege in Washington, D.C. Despite being the single most important jurisdiction for investigative reporting, the federal courts in D.C. have long followed a more permissive approach to forcing the disclosure of confidential sources.

Not only did Herridge find herself in a less-than-optimal circuit, but her supporters also raised concerns about the assigned judge. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, an Obama appointee, is the husband of respected attorney Amy Jeffress, who has been referenced in past Herridge stories and represents clients who have been subjects of her investigative reporting.

In 2023, Judge Cooper ordered Herridge to identify her confidential sources. She refused. Cooper then held her in contempt and imposed a crippling $800-a-day fine. The D.C. Circuit later upheld his order. When Herridge asked the Supreme Court to intervene and stay the D.C. Circuit’s mandate it also declined (though Justice Brett Kavanaugh indicated that he would have granted relief).

She is now back on a final appeal, hoping four justices will let her present her case. They should grant this petition and address the morass left by the ill-considered 1972 precedent in Branzburg v. Hayes. One appellate judge summed up the view of many by saying that the standard in the case is "about as clear as mud." (United States v. Sterling, 724 F.3d 482, 523 (4th Cir. 2013) (Gregory, J., dissenting)). The result has been decades of dangerous ambiguity in an area that needs clear rules.

Where circuits such as the First Circuit apply a balancing test that allows for greater contextual resolutions, the D.C. Circuit applies a standard that is easy to satisfy. Chen needed only to show that (1) the source is central to her case and (2) she has exhausted other avenues of discovery. That test could have allowed Nixon officials to force Watergate reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to disclose the identity of Deep Throat as a Privacy Act violation.

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Herridge's counsel has argued that the Court should adopt the more protective standards applied outside of Washington or create a new standard. One suggested approach is to allow a judge to consider whether a case is likely to survive a motion for summary judgment before ordering such disclosure. In this case, Chen is unlikely to secure any relief based solely on the photos, given the rest of the publicly available information about her past in the Chinese military.

Ironically, Chen is seeking to use rights that are denied in China in a way that would seriously undermine the protections of a free press in this country. However, if she thought ruinous fines would force disclosure of such sources in a national security case, she tangled with the wrong reporter.

Herridge has long been a champion of journalistic privilege, even when fighting news organizations. Years ago, I disclosed in a column how CBS News seized Herridge's files containing confidential source information after she left the network. Herridge refused to yield and forced the network to surrender the files.

Herridge is not asking for immunity. She is seeking to establish a fair standard, so a court can balance interests in cases such as hers. Chen was able to repurpose the Privacy Act as a way to circumvent press protections in areas like defamation. It would be particularly concerning if an alleged former colonel in the PLA whom DOD found to be a national security threat could claim privacy violations to force the disclosure of national security sources.

There is ample ground here to strike a reasonable balance, but the Court must first accept review in Herridge v. Chen.

Jonathan Turley previously worked for CBS News and currently works at Fox News as a legal analyst. His views do not necessarily reflect those of those networks.

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Top Democrats have been silent after the latest in a string of violent attacks in Central Park in New York City, where a suspect is at large after police say he sexually assaulted a woman at knifepoint.

A 39-year-old woman was raped in the park around 8:30 p.m. Saturday by a stranger who threatened her with a knife near the intersection of East 67th Street and East Drive, the NYPD said. It was the fifth reported rape in the NYPD’s Central Park Precinct this year, data show.

"This most recent rape was in an area that's right near $10 million apartments and an area where you would hope that people in this city would feel safe," said Paul Mauro, a retired NYPD inspector and Fox News Contributor.

Two of the state’s top Democratic leaders, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, have so far remained silent on the attack—a stark contrast to their highly visible intervention earlier this month in a separate rape case involving seven Cornell fraternity members, where Hochul swiftly appointed James as a special prosecutor.

CORNELL SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE REVIVES SCRUTINY OF A LITTLE-KNOWN NEW YORK LAW ON INTOXICATED VICTIMS

"Let something hit the news like the Cornell case and all of a sudden they’re all over the media and they’re on a soapbox and they’re holding press conferences," Mauro said.

"We are less than 10 days away from an election, and that has to have a lot to do with it," he added.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RIDESHARE DRIVER CHARGED WITH RAPE IN MARYLAND HAD PRIOR NYC SEX ABUSE ARREST: DHS

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The victim in Saturday’s attack was taken to a hospital and is in "stable condition," police said.

Julie Menin, speaker for the New York City Council, said in a post on X, in part, "I am outraged by this horrific act of violence. My thoughts are with the survivor, and I hope she makes a full recovery. Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe in our city."

WATCH: Central Park rape suspect wanted in New York City

The NYPD asked that anyone with information about the suspect or the attack to call the NYPD's Sex Crimes Hotline at 1-212-267-7273 or 646-610-7272, the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips.

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"Five rapes, five in the confines of Central Park already this year is a very bad number," Mauro said.

For comparison, around this time last year, the precinct reported three rape cases.

CORNELL PRESIDENT SAYS UNIVERSITY 'MUST DO BETTER' ON HANDLING OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS

Mauro said the uptick doesn't bode well for NYC public safety. He said police commanders watch Central Park felonies and subway crime as two "bellwether metrics."

"Both of those are very much going in the wrong direction," he said.

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The NYPD said the investigation into Saturday’s attack is active and ongoing.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed it during a news conference Monday morning.

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He said in part, "Our administration is working to ensure that the survivor has the support that she needs to navigate the next steps. We are going to continue to work with survivors at large, as well as providers and city partners, to strengthen prevention and address gaps in support and to also hold perpetrators of sexual assault accountable and to ensure that this is a city that puts survivors' needs first."

WATCH: 'What happened is horrific’: NYC Mayor Mamdani addresses Central Park knifepoint rape

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A loyal Texas Roadhouse customer is going viral after claiming he repeatedly got a cheaper cut of steak than what he ordered, leaving him wondering if he was being ripped off.

Kenneth Card took to TikTok in early October to warn other customers that he received a sirloin instead of a filet mignon three times at a Texas Roadhouse in Forsyth, Illinois. His post has since gotten over 30,000 views.

Card told Fox News Digital that his experience working in hotel and restaurant kitchens preparing and cutting steaks made him confident he could tell the difference.

MEAT EXPERT SHARES THE MISTAKE MOST AMERICANS MAKE WHEN COOKING STEAK

"I know what types of meat I get whenever I receive it," Card said.

Card said he has been going to the Texas Roadhouse location about once a week for over a year, and had even built a rapport with staff.

The first time it happened, he told staff he thought he had received the wrong steak and they gave him a filet. On his next visit, he said, he ate the steak without raising the issue. When he ordered filet mignon again on a third visit, Card said, he spoke with a manager.

EXPERTS REVEAL HOW TO SPOT FAKE 'WAGYU' SO YOU DON’T GET RIPPED OFF ON PREMIUM BEEF

"I was like, 'Look, this is the third time that y'all tried to sell me a sirloin or whatever else kind of steak it is besides a filet,'" he recalled.

The restaurant took the steak away to get a second opinion, Card said, and staff told him it was not what he had ordered. He said he waited for a new one, asked for it to go and posted his video after getting home.

"I just wanted to get the word out that, 'Hey, you're getting ripped off if you're ordering this and they're selling you this,'" Card said.

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The 8-ounce sirloin costs about $20 at the restaurant's Forsyth, Illinois, location, according to its website, while the filet mignon costs about $30.

He said he was surprised by the attention and just wanted to make sure people are getting what they pay for.

Some commenters said it was likely just an issue with that specific location, while others admitted they wouldn't know the difference between the two cuts. 

"For those of us who don't know the difference, they would get by with that," one man said. "Fortunately, you happen to know the difference."

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"[A filet] melts in your mouth. It's very tender," Card said, while the sirloin is "a little grittier, a little chewier."

The chain said it was aware of Card's post and looked into the allegations, confirming one mix-up to Fox News Digital, saying management corrected it by providing Card with a filet.

A spokesperson for the company said it has "not been able to track that this occurred on three occasions," but confirmed it was corrected onsite once. Management "quickly made it right," the spokesperson said.

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It added that team members double-check food for quality and accuracy as it is expedited from the kitchen. Customers who believe they received the wrong steak or were charged incorrectly should alert their server at the time, a spokesperson said, so the issue can be addressed by the restaurant team.

Card, however, said he does not expect to return to the Forsyth location. 

"I think I'm done going in there," he said. "I'll try somewhere else."

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The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people, including the latest news, events and sights and sounds of the United States.

This week's quiz highlights famous feuds, skin secrets, food trends and a lot more.

Can you get all 8 questions right?

Give it a try and see how well you do!

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To try your hand at more quizzes from Fox News Digital, click here. 

And to take our latest News Quiz, which is published every Friday, click here.

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FIRST ON FOX — The Pentagon is preparing U.S. military bases to keep operating for at least 90 days without outside support as it prepares for the possibility of a major war that could cripple power grids, disrupt supply chains and threaten critical infrastructure on American soil.

The new requirement is part of FORTRESS, a broader military initiative aimed at ensuring American forces can continue fighting even if the civilian systems they depend on are disrupted, according to documents reviewed by Fox News Digital.

AMERICA'S NEXT WAR COULD REACH US SOIL, TOP ARMY GENERAL WARNS

"We don't want to rely on standard civilian municipal infrastructure to run our national defense. We just simply can't. It's an intolerable risk," Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell told Fox News Digital.

The Pentagon is also laying the groundwork for civilian factories to shift to defense production during a crisis, while preparing alternative supply chains and strategic reserves to keep weapons, fuel and other essential materials flowing.

"Power is combat now. Without electricity, you lose communications, water, logistics, assembly lines and just basic military command structures," Parnell said.

Under FORTRESS, every major military installation in the continental United States would be expected to sustain essential operations independently for at least 90 days, including access to electricity, water, fuel and communications.

TRUMP PENTAGON LAUNCHES COMPETITION FOR AMERICA'S NEXT GREAT MILITARY BASE

The requirement reflects a broader shift in how the Pentagon is preparing for threats to the American homeland, including the possibility that a major conflict could disrupt the infrastructure supporting military operations inside the United States.

"I realized that a lot of the way we think about homeland defense was built around the antiquated assumption that two oceans would protect us," Parnell said. "President Trump understands that world is gone, and he's already paved the way for new thinking: Golden Dome, a renewed focus on the Western Hemisphere, Greenland, Panama."

A central concern is the military's reliance on civilian power grids, which support everything from communications and logistics to weapons manufacturing.

FORTRESS envisions portable nuclear reactors, large-scale battery storage and microgrids capable of disconnecting military installations from the civilian electrical grid, allowing them to continue operating during prolonged power disruptions.

"Mission-critical power must be independent, hardened, and redundant," Parnell said.

The Pentagon has already announced plans to reduce major military installations' dependence on civilian power grids. The 90-day self-sufficiency standard goes further, extending the requirement beyond electricity to other essential services needed to sustain military operations.

The strategy also anticipates major disruptions to the global supply chains that provide the military with weapons, equipment and critical materials.

"The next conflict will likely be fought on multiple fronts. Look at the geopolitics behind any major war. When that happens, global supply chains will break," Parnell said.

To prepare, FORTRESS calls for strategic reserves of munitions, fuel, critical minerals, electronics, spare parts and medical supplies that could sustain military operations if international supply routes are disrupted or domestic manufacturers cannot keep pace with wartime demand.

Reserve targets would vary depending on how quickly supplies are consumed during a major conflict and how long manufacturers would need to replace them.

STARTUPS BRING INNOVATION TO DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE

For the military's most critical defense dependencies, the initiative also establishes a requirement for at least two qualified supply or production pathways, reducing the risk that the loss of a single factory, supplier or industrial capability could interrupt military operations.

Another major component involves preparing America's civilian manufacturing sector to support a wartime mobilization.

Through the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network, an existing initiative incorporated into FORTRESS, the Pentagon plans to identify commercial factories capable of shifting to defense production during a crisis.

The new details describe plans to assess manufacturers' capabilities and establish technical specifications, cybersecurity protections, contracting arrangements and conversion procedures in advance, rather than waiting until a conflict begins.

FORTRESS also calls for recurring industrial stress tests and mobilization exercises to assess whether manufacturers could maintain production through prolonged disruptions.

Beyond energy and manufacturing, the initiative includes efforts to strengthen military communications, navigation and satellite capabilities against interference, including preparations to maintain operations when GPS signals are jammed or space-based assets are disrupted.

Together, the measures are intended to reduce the military's dependence on civilian infrastructure and vulnerable supply networks during a prolonged conflict.

"You don't want to be making these decisions in the middle of a global multi-front conflict. We have to have a plan," Parnell said.

He described FORTRESS as an insurance policy for the homeland, designed to ensure American forces can continue operating even if a major war disrupts the infrastructure and supply chains they rely on.

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FBI agents reported witnessing a mysterious black triangular object hovering silently above a mountain ridge before suddenly accelerating at speeds comparable to a fighter jet, newly released Department of War documents reveal.

The 2026 sighting is among several incidents detailed in the newly released records examining unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), alongside decades-old military encounters and reports of mysterious creatures, unexplained lights and supposed portals at a Utah ranch.

One report from the FBI describes an encounter with a dark, nonreflective triangular object resembling a drone, with an estimated wingspan of 9 to 15 feet and no visible exhaust or conventional propulsion system.

NEW TRUMP UFO FILE DUMP INCLUDES MILITARY FOOTAGE OF MYSTERIOUS STAR-SHAPED OBJECT

The agents reported seeing the object rise vertically above a ridgeline before accelerating into a canyon without making a sound.

A separate report from the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), which investigates reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena, provides a more detailed account of the encounter.

VIDEO SHOWS US MILITARY TRACKING WHAT APPEARS TO BE MYSTERIOUS OBJECT FLYING OVER MIDDLE EAST IN 2025

The report describes a matte-black triangular object that climbed about 200 to 300 feet above a ridgeline, hovered for roughly 20 seconds and then appeared to accelerate almost instantly, disappearing into a canyon within two to three seconds.

The witnesses described an object with no visible engines, rotors, exhaust or other conventional aircraft features.

PENTAGON’S NEW UFO FILE RELEASE LOGS NEAR-MISS AS ‘SUPER-HEATED’ ORBS APPROACH US HELICOPTER

Read the report here:

The agents also reported observing a uniform heat signature across the object's surface through handheld thermal equipment, without the concentrated hot spots typically associated with propulsion systems.

The Pentagon report notes that the object's speed was estimated by witnesses rather than measured by instruments.

EX-PENTAGON OFFICIAL SAYS UAP FILES REVEAL 'TREASURE TROVE' OF INTELLIGENCE DATING BACK TO THE 1940S

The two reports differ on the length of the encounter. The FBI described a sighting lasting approximately three seconds, while AARO detailed about 10 seconds of vertical ascent, 20 seconds of hovering and another two to three seconds of rapid flight before the object disappeared.

Neither report identifies the object or establishes its origin.

NASA CHIEF PULLS BACK CURTAIN ON TRUMP UFO FILES AFTER BIZARRE FINDS SURFACE IN BURIED FED RECORDS

Fox News Digital has contacted AARO for comment on the sighting, including whether the object has since been identified and whether images released with the FBI report show the actual encounter or are illustrations.

The newly released records also include an Air Force intelligence report dated Jan. 19, 1957, detailing an unidentified radar contact involving a U.S. B-52 bomber during a Strategic Air Command mission near Saudi Arabia.

PENTAGON DECLASSIFIES APOLLO 12 AUDIO OF ASTRONAUTS DESCRIBING UNEXPLAINED 'STREAKS OF LIGHT' IN SPACE

The bomber was flying at about 39,000 feet when its radar detected an unidentified target roughly 6,000 yards away on Jan. 18, 1957.

The contact remained on the aircraft's radar screen for five to seven minutes before disappearing as the bomber turned left.

Air Force investigators noted that no other aircraft were expected in the area but acknowledged that the radar contact may have disappeared because of the bomber's change in direction.

Other historical records describe reported sightings near California's Santa Catalina Island.

In one case, three Boy Scouts attending summer camp reported seeing a silent, silver object moving faster than a conventional jet while hiking on the island June 25, 1952.

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The scouts claimed the object made a climbing turn before appearing to disintegrate, an Air Force intelligence report states.

Investigators noted that the scouts had no instruments to measure its speed or altitude and that their limited experience made it difficult to assess the reliability of their account.

Read the Catalina Island report here:

A separate March 15, 1955, report describes a witness near Avalon on Catalina Island who spotted a bright, round object that changed from orange to red before falling straight down.

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The Air Force ultimately classified the sighting as a "probable meteor."

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The files also include a 60-page investigation conducted in 2010 by Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) at a Utah ranch associated with reports of unexplained phenomena.

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Investigators interviewed residents who described towering dog-like creatures walking on two legs, mysterious balls of light and other unusual sightings.

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Other witnesses reported smaller, hairy creatures, a prehistoric-looking bird and a worm allegedly measuring 8 feet long. One witness also described a transparent, rippling structure she believed was a portal to another world.

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The investigation included eyewitness sketches, surveillance cameras, environmental monitoring and hair samples collected from areas associated with reported creature sightings.

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Laboratory testing, however, identified the hair samples as coming from ordinary animals, including domestic dogs and a raccoon.

The report did not establish the existence of the alleged creatures or other extraordinary phenomena.

Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI for comment.

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JERUSALEM — Israel’s high-stakes election on Oct. 27 pits the longest serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, against the highly decorated retired Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot. While fairly new to politics, Eisenkot has an impressive resume that could help him become the Jewish state's next leader.

According to a number of polls, Eisenkot's centrist political party, Yashar, has a narrow lead over Netanyahu's Likud. To form a government, Yashar or Likud will need to cobble together a 61-seat majority of parties to be able to form a new coalition government.

TRUMP SAYS NETANYAHU NEEDS TO BE RE-ELECTED, OR ELSE US WILL HAVE TO 'FINISH THE JOB’ AGAINST IRAN ALONE

He was born in Tiberias in Israel’s north to a Jewish-Moroccan family who relocated to Israel’s southernmost city, Eilat, on the Red Sea when he was a toddler.

A career soldier, he opted to serve in the infantry. He was part of the elite Golani Brigade and reached the zenith of the military with his 2015 appointment to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff in 2015 until 2019.

Yossi Melman, one of Israel’s most respected journalists on intelligence and defense reporting, told Fox News Digital that Eisenkot, "Is 100% a soldier. He is very brave and humble. He is an officer and gentleman."

Melman noted that when Eisenkot was chosen to be the next IDF chief of staff, he declined because he felt that then General Benny Gantz should receive the appointment. Melman asked, "How many people would do that? He was selected after Gantz. It shows his traits of modesty, honesty and not arrogant."

Melman said, "It is a miracle he is leading in the polls. He is the antithesis of a what a politician should be. He is not a great orator when you compare him to Netanyahu. He radiates honesty."

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU'S LEGACY AND POLITICAL FUTURE ON THE LINE IN ISRAEL'S OCT 27 ELECTION

Eisenkot’s Mizrahi background — Jews who originate from North Africa and the Middle East — would mean, if he prevails, that he would be the first Israeli Prime Minister of Moroccan origin. The Prime Minister’s office has been held by Israelis of Eastern European descent (Ashkenazi) since the rebirth of the Jewish state in 1948.

After Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 and slaughtered over 1,200 people, including more than 40 Americans, Eisenkot joined Netanyahu’s war cabinet as a minister without portfolio.

Melman said Eisenkot "did not set any political conditions" and "his presence in the cabinet saved Netanyahu." After eight months of serving in the war cabinet, Eisenkot resigned, blaming the prime minister for failing to implement a comprehensive strategy.

The war against the Iran-backed terrorist movement Hamas took an enormous toll on the battle-hardened General Eisenkot and his family. Hamas killed his son, 25-year-old Master Sergeant Gal Eisenkot, in Dec. 2023. The terrorist organization also killed two nephews of Eisenkot. Netanyahu and his wife Sara said at the time that they were devastated by Gal’s death and Eisenkot was a "true hero."

ZIONISM EXPLAINED FROM ITS BIBLICAL ORIGINS TO THE REBIRTH OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL

Danny Orbach, a military historian from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, gave his take on the leading contender to replace Netanyahu. "I think his military record and his prospects as a national leader have both significant strengths and serious weaknesses. He bears considerable responsibility for shaping the IDF that existed on Oct. 7, 2023. And that was, paradoxically, both the army that proved capable of defeating Hezbollah, striking Iran and achieving unprecedented military successes in the extraordinarily difficult, tunnel-ridden battlefield of Gaza and the army that failed so miserably on Oct. 7."

He continued that, "Like other chiefs of staff, Eisenkot bears responsibility for the decisions that reduced the army's size and for the infamous ‘conceptzia’ [Hebrew word for concept] regarding Hamas. In that respect, I consider him just as culpable as Netanyahu."

Israel’s military, intelligence and political establishments bought into the ‘conceptzia’ that Hamas could be housebroken with massive infusions of economic aid. Hamas, however, was wedded to its radical Islamist ideology —the destruction of the Jewish state — and used the funds to advance its war aims.

Orbach noted that "I don't think most of Eisenkot's support stems from his energy, enthusiasm or even his political platform. My impression is that Eisenkot has emerged as the default ‘non-Bibi’ candidate, the politician who currently channels much of the camp's hopes and expectations."

Orbach added that "I also doubt that Eisenkot would have had the political determination to stand up to the Biden administration on such matters."

Netanyahu and former President Biden repeatedly clashed over Biden’s attempts to rope in Israel’s efforts to defeat Iran’s seven-front war against the Jewish state.

The military historian, however, noted that "I believe an Eisenkot government could address several of Israel's most urgent problems. It would remove Ben Gvir from power, confront the growing problem of Jewish extremist violence and terrorism in the West Bank, and begin repairing Israel's severely damaged international legitimacy."

Itamar Ben-Gvir is a controversial right-wing firebrand politician and the current minister of national security since 2022, who has outraged many Western European and foreign leaders with his heated rhetoric against the Palestinians.

TIMELINE OF DECADES-LONG ISRAELI-ARAB, PALESTINIAN CONFLICT

Eisenkot’s wife, Hannah, comes from an American Jewish family. U.S. General Joseph Dunford awarded Eisenkot the Commander of the Legion of Merit because of his "exceptionally meritorious service as chief of the General Staff of the IDF" and his "contribution to the strategic cooperation between the United States and Israel [that] will have a lasting effect on both countries," according to the Washington Institute, where Eisenkot served as a military fellow in 2019.

Nadav Eyal, an Israeli analyst and journalist for the mass circulation Israeli paper Yedioth Aharonoth, told Fox News Digital, Gadi Eisenkot is widely considered one of the most successful Chiefs of Staff that Israel has had in the last thirty years."

He continued that "Chiefs of Staff in Israel, unlike in other countries, are really extremely capable, in general, to be prime minister. They are leading the country’s biggest organization, the IDF."

Eyal, who writes extensively about the IDF, credited Eisenkot’s military planning against the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon and the significant defeats the Lebanese Shiite entity experienced, including the "discovery of tunnels that Hezbollah built" to enter Israel. Hezbollah immediately joined Hamas’s war against Israel in Oct. 2023.

Given the nature of Israel’s electoral system, an outright winner won’t likely be known for several days, since the leading party will need to form a coalition to get to the 61-seat mandate to run the country.

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