Yoaz Hendel, chair of the Reservists party, said at a closed event this week that he is trying to bring in two coalition lawmakers who opposed the draft exemption law, Moshe Solomon of Religious Zionism and Dan Illouz of Likud. According to a ynet report, Hendel told activists he wants to recruit them to strengthen the party’s appeal among right-wing voters who identify with reservists serving in the army.
Hendel said both lawmakers showed courage in standing up to the coalition over the enlistment bill. He argued that they reject the idea that a right-wing coalition should support draft dodging, and accused the current government of striking an alliance with ultra-Orthodox parties that encourages mass evasion during wartime. “We are being ground down again and again, and they are transferring budgets,” he said.
Illouz denied that any talks had taken place about joining Hendel. “There have not been, and are not, any talks about my joining,” he said, adding that many political figures have recently approached people around him, which he said reflects public appreciation for his path. He said he remains focused on fighting for the national and liberal values he believes Likud should stand for, calling that the mandate he received from voters.
A statement from Solomon said he receives various approaches but will not discuss such conversations through the press. “When there is something to announce, I will do so in an orderly fashion and in my own voice,” he said.
