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 this week to determine its Knesset list, 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 ultimately fails to meet the required threshold, public votes cast for 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 about the importance of merging and not risking the loss of public votes.
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 he could not yet go into details about who the alliance would be with.
“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 Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, 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 serving in a government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hendel did not rule out the possibility, though he said he believed 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, as long as they don't serve.
“We want to integrate all groups into Israeli society. 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 government,” he explained.
Hendel also explained the complexity of leading the party while also still returning to combat consistently as part of his reserve duty.
“I have no choice but to go up [to 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 for the list.
Thousands of registered members of the Reservists Party voted to determine the list.
Explaining the process of holding the primaries, which parties in Israel are not required to do, 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.
The condition for membership in the party was that only those who had done military or national service could join.
"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. There was an incredible contest of excellent people," Hendel said.
