Hili Trooper Refuses to Join Any Government Led by Netanyahu

Hili Trooper, chairman of Beit Tzioni-Hamiluimnikim, announced on Tuesday that his party will not participate in any government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. In a video posted on X, Trooper stated that his party would only join a Zionist government and aims to broaden the coalition with parties that share their principles, explicitly ruling out joining a Netanyahu-led administration.

The Religious Zionism party responded sharply to Trooper's declaration, calling it "fake unity" and accusing him and Bezalel Smotrich of boycotting Religious Zionism and over a million Likud voters who support Netanyahu as prime minister. They criticized Trooper for forcing a choice between ousting Netanyahu or appointing left-wing figures such as Yair Golan as defense minister and Naama Lazimi to the security cabinet. The party described this stance as divisive and reminiscent of the political boycotts seen on October 6, 2023.

Trooper's announcement highlights ongoing fractures within the Israeli right-wing and nationalist camp ahead of government formation talks, emphasizing ideological divides and leadership disputes. The controversy underscores the challenges in forming a unified right-wing coalition under Netanyahu's leadership.