Israeli Lawmaker Hili Troper Warns of Existential Threat from Internal Division

During a recent "home circle" gathering in Jerusalem, Israeli lawmaker Hili Troper of the National Unity party outlined his views on several critical issues less than a month before elections. Troper addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the contentious conscription law, and the need for national responsibility following the October 7th failures.

Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Troper stated he sees no immediate solution and cautioned against making unrealistic promises. He firmly rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state, asserting there is no room for two states between the Jordan River and the sea. Citing the 2005 Gaza disengagement and the October 7th attacks, Troper emphasized the danger of creating security vacuums, predicting that Hamas would eventually seize power if a Palestinian state were formed. His party's current approach is to "reduce the conflict" rather than enact significant changes, while supporting legal settlement expansion in Judea and Samaria and strengthening regional alliances like the Abraham Accords.

Troper described the exemption of the ultra-Orthodox from military service as a "value wound" that erodes Israeli social solidarity. He criticized the disparity between reservists serving hundreds of days annually and support for draft dodgers, advocating for a "service for all" model, with tailored paths for the ultra-Orthodox and differential rewards for combat soldiers, but insisted on the principle of universal service.

Politically, Troper demanded a state commission of inquiry into the October 7th events, stating that any senior leader, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who held responsibility that day is unfit to continue in office. However, he did not rule out coalition parties joining a future government, provided they adhere to his party's core principles.

Reflecting on his time in the War Cabinet, Troper shared intelligence that enemies like Yahya Sinwar and Hassan Nasrallah closely monitored Israel's internal divisions before October 7th, viewing them as an opportunity for destruction. He warned that "the price of internal division is an existential threat," stressing that his political motivation is to preserve national cohesion and shared responsibility. Troper distinguished between the "upper Israel" of leadership that failed on October 7th and the "lower Israel" of citizens, soldiers, and volunteers who demonstrated mutual responsibility and heroism.