Yoaz Hendel and Hili Trooper Form Independent Party, Differing from Gantz and Simhi's Unity Approach

On July 7, 2026, Yoaz Hendel and Hili Trooper officially launched their political alliance, aiming to run as an independent party. They believe they can complete a "Zionist majority" in the Knesset by filling the gap for Benny Gantz's bloc, which seeks to form a government without relying on ultra-Orthodox parties. Hendel and Trooper reject affiliation with any political bloc but emphasize that their support would be crucial for Gadi Eizenkot's camp to reach the 61-seat majority needed to establish a government.

This stance contrasts sharply with the approach of Benny Gantz and Dedi Simhi, who advocate for a broad unity government including both Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eizenkot, aiming to bridge the two major political camps. Hendel and Trooper explicitly exclude ultra-Orthodox parties from their definition of the Zionist majority, making their potential coalition mathematically and politically relevant primarily to Eizenkot's bloc.

Meanwhile, the so-called "third bloc" in Israeli politics is becoming crowded with figures such as Gantz, Simhi, Gilad Erdan, Yuli Edelstein, Ayelet Shaked, and Ofer Winter. This proliferation of players is expected to lead to intense negotiations and attempts to consolidate forces in the coming weeks. The Hendel-Trooper alliance is seen as the initial step in a series of potential mergers within this political space.