The Reservists Birthday celebration is anticipated to quickly sign up for a political alliance forward of the approaching elections, celebration chief Yoaz Hendel instructed Israel Times in a Thursday interview, outlining the celebration’s plans and path.
Talking after the celebration held interior primaries to resolve its Knesset listing this week, Hendel mentioned he used to be engaged in “sensitive talks” relating to a merger.
The Reservists Birthday celebration recently does no longer go the electoral threshold in polls, forward of elections set to happen no later than October 27.
If the celebration runs by itself and does no longer go the wanted threshold, the votes that went towards the celebration can be successfully discarded.
“My worldview says we must behave in politics with the same seriousness as in military or civilian missions. We cannot take risks. We must come with serious political power. Otherwise, we will get the same result again,” Hendel defined.
YOAZ HENDEL, head of the Reservists’ Birthday celebration and a former minister, holds a press convention outdoor Kibbutz Retamim within the central Negev Wilderness, southern Israel, on February 1, 2026. (credit score: Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)Reservists would possibly merge with Blue and White, best friend with Chili Tropper
There were studies a few possible merger between the Reservists and Blue and White chief MK Benny Gantz’s celebration, or an alliance with MK Chili Tropper, who just lately left Gantz’s celebration.
Hendel mentioned that his celebration has been in contact with others relating to a merger, however that he may just no longer move into the main points of who the alliance can be with but.
“The Reservists are supposed to be the factor that changes the system. There are enough serious forces we can partner with, but it must be based on ideology and principles, not politics,” he famous.
The celebration has introduced itself as a reaction to the management vacuum following the October 7 bloodbath, and it advocates for common conscription. Amongst its central ideas is a refusal to enroll in any govt that comes with events whose contributors don’t serve within the IDF.
The Reservists have introduced campaigns towards the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) and Arab events forward of the elections, calling to bar those that don’t serve within the IDF from balloting and from operating for Knesset.
Hendel is not going to rule out serving with Netanyahu
When requested about sitting in a central authority with High Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hendel didn’t rule out the choice, despite the fact that he mentioned that he held the conclusion that voters will have to no longer vote for the premier. He famous that Netanyahu used to be accountable for the October 7 Hamas assaults in 2023.
Hendel stressed out that it used to be maximum necessary to not shape a central authority with the haredi or Arab events, as a result of, at the present time, they don’t serve.
“We want to integrate all groups into Israeli society,” he mentioned. “There is no reason an Arab citizen from Umm al-Amad should not do national service, and no reason a haredi citizen should not serve in the army or in civil service. Whoever chooses not to serve should not be part of [the] government.”
Hendel additionally defined the complexity of main the celebration whilst persistently returning to battle as a part of his reserve accountability.
“I have no choice but to go up [to the reserves] – otherwise, the battalion won’t go,” including that, in parallel, he additionally had to lead the celebration.
“It is a very complex situation personally. But, like me, there are tens of thousands of reservists for whom this is also complicated.”
The celebration held interior primaries to resolve its Knesset listing, with applicants together with reservists, bereaved members of the family, and wounded IDF veterans. Six applicants have been introduced on Wednesday to be at the listing.
1000’s of registered contributors of the Reservists Birthday celebration voted to resolve the listing.
Explaining the method of retaining the primaries and which events in Israel aren’t required to take action, Hendel mentioned that, “unlike the trend in Israeli politics, we deliberately chose to create a full democracy.”
Hendel added that he purposely selected to carry elections for the celebration chairperson, even supposing he used to be the founding father of the Reservists. Hendel used to be then elected to stay the celebration’s chief.
Particularly, simplest those that had achieved army or nationwide carrier may just sign up for the celebration.
“We gave space to the best people in Israel, those who, on October 7, when the state disappeared, stepped up, took responsibility, and took command.”
“We have reservists, civilians who carried out civic emergency actions since October 7, bereaved families, and wounded IDF soldiers,” Hendel mentioned. “There was an incredible contest of excellent people.”
