The Reservists Party is expected to soon join a political alliance ahead of the upcoming elections, party leader Yoaz Hendel told The Jerusalem Post in a Thursday interview, outlining the party’s plans and direction.
Speaking after the party held internal primaries to determine its Knesset list this week, Hendel said he was engaged in “sensitive talks” regarding a merger.
The Reservists Party currently does not pass the electoral threshold in polls, ahead of elections set to take place no later than October 27.
If the party runs on its own and does not pass the needed threshold, the votes that went toward the party would be effectively discarded.
“My worldview says we must behave in politics with the same seriousness as in military or civilian missions. We cannot take risks. We must come with serious political power. Otherwise, we will get the same result again,” Hendel explained.
Reservists may merge with Blue and White, ally with Chili Tropper
There have been reports about a potential merger between the Reservists and Blue and White leader MK Benny Gantz’s party, or an alliance with MK Chili Tropper, who recently left Gantz’s party.
Hendel said that his party has been in touch with others regarding a merger, but that he could not go into the details of who the alliance would be with yet.
“The Reservists are supposed to be the factor that changes the system. There are enough serious forces we can partner with, but it must be based on ideology and principles, not politics,” he noted.
The party has presented itself as a response to the leadership vacuum following the October 7 massacre, and it advocates for universal conscription. Among its central principles is a refusal to join any government that includes parties whose members do not serve in the IDF.
The Reservists have launched campaigns against the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) and Arab parties ahead of the elections, calling to bar those who do not serve in the IDF from voting and from running for Knesset.
Hendel will not rule out serving with Netanyahu
When asked about sitting in a government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hendel did not rule out the option, though he said that he held the belief that citizens should not vote for the premier. He noted that Netanyahu was responsible for the October 7 Hamas attacks in 2023.
Hendel stressed that it was most important not to form a government with the haredi or Arab parties, because, at the moment, they do not serve.
“We want to integrate all groups into Israeli society,” he said. “There is no reason an Arab citizen from Umm al-Amad should not do national service, and no reason a haredi citizen should not serve in the army or in civil service. Whoever chooses not to serve should not be part of [the] government.”
Hendel also explained the complexity of leading the party while consistently returning to combat as part of his reserve duty.
“I have no choice but to go up [to the reserves] – otherwise, the battalion won’t go,” adding that, in parallel, he also needed to lead the party.
“It is a very complex situation personally. But, like me, there are tens of thousands of reservists for whom this is also complicated.”
The party held internal primaries to determine its Knesset list, with candidates including reservists, bereaved family members, and wounded IDF veterans. Six candidates were announced on Wednesday to be on the list.
Thousands of registered members of the Reservists Party voted to determine the list.
Explaining the process of holding the primaries and which parties in Israel are not required to do so, Hendel said that, “unlike the trend in Israeli politics, we deliberately chose to create a full democracy.”
Hendel added that he purposely chose to hold elections for the party chairperson, even though he was the founder of the Reservists. Hendel was then elected to remain the party’s leader.
Notably, only those who had done military or national service could join the party.
“We gave space to the best people in Israel, those who, on October 7, when the state disappeared, stepped up, took responsibility, and took command.”
“We have reservists, civilians who carried out civic emergency actions since October 7, bereaved families, and wounded IDF soldiers,” Hendel said. “There was an incredible contest of excellent people.”