Israeli Politician Urges General Winther to Reject Haredi Alliance

Yoaz Hendel, chairman of the Reservists and Economics Party, called on Thursday for General Ofer Winther to retract his support for forming a government with Benjamin Netanyahu and the Haredi parties. Hendel proposed that Winther sign a surplus agreement and commit to joining a coalition government exclusively without Haredi or Arab representatives.

In a statement to the press, Hendel outlined his vision for cooperation among parties to prevent what he described as "non-Zionist governments." He argued that the public is currently forced to choose between a government reliant on Haredi parties, which he claims encourage draft evasion, and one dependent on Arab parties that do not recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Hendel directly addressed Winther, urging him to abandon his alliance with the Prime Minister and the Haredi parties. Hendel asserted that reservists are Winther's natural partners and emphasized that aligning with politicians like Yitzhak Goldknopf would undermine any chance of passing an equal draft law. "With Haredi parties, you cannot win on the battlefield, and you cannot fulfill front-line missions," Hendel stated, adding a personal plea: "Get out of this concept and help us win on the battlefield."

Hendel's political proposal centers on a call for a surplus agreement between parties. He also demands a joint declaration that both sides will only enter a "Zionist" coalition, a move he believes would create a strong political bloc to block coalitions leaning on the political extremes. Hendel's appeal comes three years after the outbreak of the war, noting that the reality has drastically changed since the "heavy disaster."

He believes that political forces identifying as Zionist must cooperate to form a government that reflects the nation's current needs, particularly concerning the military and recruitment. As of now, Winther has not responded to the proposal.