Reservists Party Leader Urges General Winter to Break from Netanyahu

Yoaz Hendel, chairman of the Reservists Party, called on General Ofer Winter on Sunday to abandon his political alliance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Haredi parties, positioning his own party as Winter's natural partner. Speaking at the National Youth Conference in Jerusalem, Hendel stated, "On Thursday, I called on Winter to leave the alliance with Netanyahu and the Haredi parties. We are his natural partners. Winter needs to be with us, not part of that bloc."

Hendel outlined his conditions for joining a future government, emphasizing the exclusion of "non-Zionist and Arab parties." He declared, "Anyone who does not serve, I don't care who they are, will not receive a shekel from the state." Hendel argued that decisions should be made by individuals who have experienced the sacrifices of war, warning of social disintegration into Arab autonomies and Haredi enclaves if current trends continue. However, he suggested that partnership with Haredi parties could be possible if their attitude towards military service changed, humorously adding that if "Goldknopf and his children enlist tomorrow, they can certainly be my partners." He also advocated for encouraging national service among Israeli Arabs.

Hendel pledged to focus on ensuring that those who do not serve do not receive state funding, advocating for legislation to that effect. He believes a small party like his can wield significant political power in a future government, drawing a parallel to the influence of Shas, stating, "Shas has held the country by the balls for twenty years, and I will be the Shas of the reservists." He even expressed a personal view that non-servicemembers should not have the right to vote or be elected, though he acknowledged this was a minority position.

Addressing concerns about reservist burden and cost of living, Hendel stated that direct reductions in reserve duty days, as suggested by others, are unlikely. He believes pressure on draft dodgers is more effective. He also linked the heavy burden on reservists to Israel's high cost of living.

When asked how he would convince Winter, Hendel explained the contradiction of supporting parties that encourage draft evasion while seeking alliances. He urged breaking political blocs to form a "Zionist government" based on commitment to service and shared burden.

Ofer Winter responded to Hendel's overture, calling it a "political campaign" and stating he is "not bought by a position or a budget." Winter reiterated his primary goal of achieving a decisive victory in the war, which he believes requires facilitating "immigration from Gaza." He proposed separating the civilian population from Hamas, restricting supplies to a sterile area, and assisting those who wish to emigrate. Winter asserted that Israel is only respected when it achieves decisive victories and that the prolonged conflict incurs significant economic costs.

Winter criticized Netanyahu's alignment with Haredi parties, stating he would not recommend Netanyahu if the Haredi parties' influence on decisions, such as funding yeshivas that encourage draft evasion, is not addressed. He believes the current government is detrimental to Israel but also finds a government with Yair Golan and Arab parties dangerous. While he expressed regret for any offense caused to Netanyahu, Winter maintained that he would not join a coalition that does not prioritize a broad right-wing government and that he is unwilling to let Haredi parties be the deciding voice.