Potential Gantz-Hendel-Simhi alliance faces hurdles despite merger reports

Reports that a new political alliance between Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party, Yoaz Hendel’s Reservists and political newcomer Dedy Simhi was on the verge of being announced appear premature, with sources telling The Times of Israel Thursday that key issues remain unresolved and that the Reservists party is still weighing other political options.

The prospective alliance would likely allow Blue and White and the Reservists to comfortably clear the 3.25 percent electoral threshold after months of hovering at or below it. According to a Kan report on Wednesday, a party comprising Blue and White, the Reservists and Simhi would win seven seats.

Polls suggest, however, that such a merger would do little to alter the overall balance between the pro-Netanyahu and opposition blocs, neither of which can currently form a government according to polls. The union’s significance may instead lie in future coalition negotiations following the election.

While Gantz, Hendel and Simhi have all criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, none has categorically ruled out serving under him, raising the possibility that the party could emerge as a kingmaker and provide Netanyahu with an additional option as coalition partner beyond his traditional ultra-Orthodox and far-right allies.

A source familiar with the discussion described the ongoing talks to The Times of Israel on Thursday as “advancing” but declined to comment on whether an announcement could be expected soon.

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A Reservists source likewise confirmed that talks were “ongoing” but stressed that “nothing has been finalized,” adding that Hendel’s current reserve duty has complicated progress, though discussions are continuing in his absence.

The source added that the party remains in talks with other political figures beyond Gantz and Simhi, including former Blue and White lawmaker Chili Tropper, who left the party in May, as well as the centrist Fourth Quarter movement, led by Yoav Heller, which last week announced that it would form a political party.

The source stressed that Hendel is not in talks with Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, which has steadily risen in recent polls, closely behind or neck and neck with Netanyahu’s Likud; Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid’s Together alliance;, or any other parties.

“We’re trying to determine where and with whom we can be most effective in achieving the goal: to become the kingmaker and determine the makeup of the next government,” the source said.

It remains unclear whether such a party would ultimately align itself with the opposition or support a future Netanyahu-led government. Hendel and Gantz have advocated for a broad government composed only of “Zionist parties,” excluding both the ultra-Orthodox and Arab parties.

The main sticking point in the negotiations, according to the source, is disagreement between Hendel and Simhi over their willingness to sit in a government with the ultra-Orthodox parties.

“[Hendel] is not flexible on this. In his view, the government should be 100% Zionist,” the source said, adding that they nevertheless believe the “gap can be bridged.”

A critic of the government and a battalion commander in the reserves, Hendel founded the fledgling Reservists last year with the goal of passing a universal draft law. He has said that party membership would be restricted only to those who have performed military or national service.

Simhi, a frequent television commentator on military and security affairs, whose son was killed while battling Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023, attack, and who entered politics in early May, said he would be willing to join either a Netanyahu or Eisenkot-led government if doing so would prevent another election, provided the party tasked with forming a coalition made a “fair and respectable” offer to the other side.

During a podcast interview last week, Simhi argued that both blocs should prioritize forming a broad unity government over political considerations, saying his goal is to “bring the two sides together” because “the country is more important than any individual.”

Gantz has repeatedly broken with other opposition leaders by refusing to rule out joining a Netanyahu-led coalition while rejecting the idea of a government reliant on outside support from Arab parties.

“Folks, it’s very simple: Either there will be a broad, Zionist government here, or there will be a narrow, extremist government. I am no longer willing to accept that,” Gantz told Channel 12’s “Meet the Press” last week.

The talks also come with Blue and White continuing to shrink, with seemingly few remaining options. Tropper and Eitan Ginzburg announced their departures within days of each other in May, less than a year after Eisenkot — then No. 2 in the National Unity alliance, of which Blue and White was the largest faction — left to establish Yashar. Eisenkot was followed by Matan Kahana and Orit Farkash-Hacohen, who also joined Yashar, though Farkash-Hacohen remains in the Knesset.

This is the second attempt in recent months to build a center-right or liberal-right alternative to Likud that nevertheless leaves the door open to Netanyahu.

On Wednesday, former UN ambassador and Likud minister Gilad Erdan resigned from the board of Israel Aerospace Industries, fueling renewed speculation that he is preparing a return to politics, after confirming reports in May that he was planning to launch a new right-wing political party with Likud MK Yuli Edelstein.

According to a Channel 12 report, Erdan told fellow board members he was making “significant decisions” that were commanding most of his attention.

Simhi and Gantz were previously reported to be in talks with Erdan and Edelstein over the initiative, dubbed “Likud B” and billed as a more “statesmanlike” alternative to Netanyahu’s ruling party.

Erdan and Edelstein have also reportedly been in contact with Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel, former finance minister Moshe Kahlon, former Beit Shemesh mayor Aliza Bloch and former IDF general Ofer Winter.

The Erdan-Edelstein party is reportedly aimed at attracting right-wing voters dissatisfied with the government’s more populist elements, but sources familiar with those talks previously told The Times of Israel that the party would nevertheless be willing to join a Netanyahu-led coalition alongside Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

Sam Sokol contributed to this report.