Yoaz Hendel and Benny Gantz Talks Collapse, Hendel Moves to Ally with Hili Tropper

The anticipated political alliance aimed at rescuing Blue and White from falling below the electoral threshold has officially collapsed. Negotiations between Yoaz Hendel, chairman of the Reservists' Party, and Blue and White leaders Benny Gantz and Dedi Simchi ended on Sunday without agreement. Contrary to earlier assumptions that the dispute was merely technical, centered on Hendel's demand to split from the bloc immediately after elections, the breakdown was due to fundamental disagreements over the future government's composition. Hendel demanded that Gantz and Simchi commit to not joining a narrow government reliant on ultra-Orthodox or Arab parties, a condition Blue and White refused to accept. While Hendel takes a firm stance against sitting with ultra-Orthodox parties, Gantz and Simchi remain ambiguous, opposing a narrow government but not ruling out a broad unity government including those factions.

Following the failed talks with Blue and White, Hendel has shifted focus to forming a partnership with Knesset member Hili Tropper, who recently left Gantz's party amid its polling decline. The two have been negotiating for weeks and aim to announce an official alliance within the next week. Hendel is also exploring contacts with former Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, who officially left Likud last Friday, and with his former partner Ayelet Shaked. Hendel and Tropper's camp envisions their emerging alliance as a platform for a larger, broader coalition, potentially joining forces with Gadi Eizenkot's "Yashar!" party.

Hours before the final collapse was revealed, Dedi Simchi expressed optimism in a Kan Reshet Bet interview, stating that once finalized, their bloc would include more members, possibly including Hendel. Simchi emphasized building a new political bloc that transcends the traditional right-left divide. In a panel discussion on Israel Hayom, Simchi directly addressed Edelstein and Gilad Erdan, warning that a narrow government from any side would be disastrous and advocating for a broad coalition uniting both camps. With the election campaign not yet officially underway and the Knesset still in session, small parties and centrist list fragments continue to maneuver. However, as the election date approaches, these players recognize the critical importance of surpassing the electoral threshold to avoid massive vote wastage in the center-right.