Yoaz Hendel: Reservists are the key to breaking Israel’s political deadlock - opinion

OCTOBER 23, 2026 16:52On October 7, 2023, the State of Israel was turned upside down.When the government vanished, we – reservists and ordinary citizens – headed south and saved our homeland from an existential threat.The sense of emptiness we encountered there – the total absence of the state – coupled with the harrowing sights and the pain of loss, left me personally with a profound sense of shame.I could not fathom that our own people had been massacred in such a way, that the government had simply disappeared, and that the senior military command had effectively evaporated. Yet, alongside this immense pain, a sense of pride in our people also emerged – people who took it upon themselves to save the homeland.We realized that the responsibility rested solely on our shoulders; there was no one else. Where there was no one to step up, we stepped up.Ultra-Orthodox Jewish boys walk near an electoral banner for the Reservist-Economic Party led by Yoaz Hendel (R) and Yaron Zelekha (L) in Bnei Barak, near Tel Aviv, October 18, 2026 (credit: ILIA YEFIMOVICH / AFP via Getty Images)This is the same spirit we, as reservists, now bring to the political arena. Looking at the numbers, it is clear that everything is at a standstill; the existing political blocs are hurtling toward yet another election.The only way to prevent this is through the Reservists-Economic Party.We are the only party remaining in the “third bloc” heading into the elections. With an average of five seats projected in polls and in-depth research, we have the capacity to break the deadlock between the blocs and restore stability.Our immediate priorities are to tackle the insane cost of living and to ensure universal conscription. We must address the plight of those Israelis who serve for hundreds of days in the reserves, only to return home and face the highest grocery prices in the Western world.For many years, Israeli citizens have been subjected to a form of brainwashing: the idea that they must choose between a coalition with anti-Zionist haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties – which view us as heretics and encourage mass draft evasion – and anti-Zionist Arab parties that do not even recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization.“Compromise on your values ​​for the sake of the bloc.” If that approach worked, they would have kept doing it. The reality is that it doesn’t work; even with such moral compromises, there is no chance of forming a government.We are telling the political establishment: “Enough.”Voting this week is a call for change, but it is also a protest against a political system that is racing toward the disintegration of Israeli society.We cannot survive when, on one hand, we have Arab “autonomous zones” in the Negev and the Galilee – characterized by a lack of governance, polygamy, extortion rackets, illegal construction, and a million illegal weapons – and, on the other, haredi “autonomous zones” that operate without any regard for the authority of the state.We cannot sustain ourselves – neither socially nor economically.After such a grueling war and such a heavy toll, we must rebuild Israel with worthy leadership.While there was an initial assumption – during the first year of the war – that the Knesset would be replaced and a “generation of victory” would take the helm, there is now a sense of resignation – and, among some Israelis, even despair.We stand against this.When you lose your way, you must return to the last point you recognized. The State of Israel lost its way – this is the primary reason we reached October 7.We have a leadership that practices “containment” of threats, focuses on the trivial, fosters factionalism from all sides, and suffers from a loss of vigilance and sheer hubris.To fix this, we must return to the Zionist foundation: settlement, the absorption of immigrants, and the defense of the homeland.Anyone who thinks this can be achieved with a “narrow” government simply doesn’t understand the situation. A minority government is not going to be formed here. That is the reality; those are the numbers – it is best not to deny them.Neither political bloc has the capacity to form a government; they are nowhere near the required threshold. Those are the facts.Zionist government is the only path forwardThe only path forward is what we propose: a Zionist government, excluding both the haredi and Arab parties.We are fed up with United Torah Judaism’s Yitzhak Goldknopf making decisions that shape the course of our lives. Furthermore, we are unwilling to rely on Arab parties that refuse to recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization.One bloc in Israel – ranging from People of Israel’s party leader Ofer Winter to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir – is beholden to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the haredi parties.Another bloc – ranging from Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot to the Arab parties – lacks the necessary number of parliamentary seats. This dynamic effectively ensures that the current government remains in power through the next election cycle.We are the only ones left who are not tethered to either bloc.The reservists – who have carried the nation on their shoulders for hundreds of days, and who sustain the economy upon their return home – have become the solution. This is a discussion about alternatives; the only chance for a Zionist government lies with the reservists and those who prioritize a strong economy.People will cast their ballots because they are fed up with the high cost of living and with draft evasion. They are fed up with the political deadlock.We cannot go backward – we cannot afford more rounds of elections or to abandon the prospect of change. Voting for “the largest party” is effectively a vote for yet another election. We are the solution; we have no other country.The writer is the leader of the Reservists-Economic Party.Follow us on Google