Trooper Splits from Hendel to Join Gantz's National Unity Party

Former minister Chili Tropper is expected to announce his joining of Benny Gantz's National Unity party ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections. Gantz is scheduled to reveal his party's list on Thursday. Tropper's move comes as polls indicate Gantz's party may not pass the electoral threshold. Tropper intends to bring Shirah Shapira with him into the new alliance, but Yoaz Hendel will not be joining and will part ways with Tropper. Eliyasef Peretz has also received an offer to join but is still considering it.

In a joint statement, Tropper and Hendel emphasized their long-standing friendship of over 20 years, which began with neighborhood ties, synagogue attendance, and shared reserve military service. Both entered politics with similar ideological views and recently co-founded the "Zionist Reservists" initiative aimed at forming a broad Zionist government. They acknowledged the complex political reality led to their individual decisions.

Despite their political separation, both leaders affirmed their commitment to continuing to serve the country and promote internal cohesion. They stressed that their shared ideology remains intact and expressed confidence in future public collaborations, highlighting that their enduring friendship, which predates their political careers, will continue unaffected by these developments.