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Yoaz Hendel
A former naval commando (Shayetet 13) and twice Minister of Communications (2020, 2021), Yoaz Hendel founded The Reservists party in 2025. On September 6, 2026, he allied with Yaron Zelekha to form Reservists—Economy, becoming the head of its list.
- Ideology
- Pragmatic right-wing liberal nationalist; prioritizes security, universal military service and judicial reform by consensus.
- Current role
- Head of the Reservists—Economy (The Reservists) party list; former Minister of Communications (2020, 2021)
- Born
- May 22, 1975Petah Tikva
Key takeaways
- 01
A former Shayetet 13 commando and reserve officer (lieutenant colonel), he served in several wars (Second Lebanon War, Cast Lead, Protective Edge, Swords of Iron).
- 02
In February 2012, he resigned from his communications post under Netanyahu after reporting allegations of sexual harassment against chief of staff Natan Eshel to the attorney general.
- 03
Twice Minister of Communications (2020 with Derekh Eretz, 2021 with New Hope), leading the rollout of fiber optics, reductions in telephone rates and the opening of Israel Post to competition.
- 04
Founded The Reservists in September 2025; after an alliance with Chili Tropper that broke up (July–September 2026), he allied with Yaron Zelekha on September 6, 2026, to form Reservists—Economy, becoming the head of its list.
- 05
Declared in October 2026 that he would sit neither with the Haredi parties nor with the Arab parties, and that he would recommend the candidate who would bring the most Zionist seats.
Controversies
Changed political alliances numerous times over a decade (Telem, Blue and White, Derekh Eretz, New Hope, Zionist Spirit/Yamina, The Reservists, Chili Tropper, then Zelekha), cited by some observers as a lack of political stability.
Describes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a “clash of civilizations between two cultures,” a formulation disputed by those who see it as a rejection of any prospect of a negotiated peace.
Born on May 22, 1975, in Petah Tikva, into a family originally from Romania, Yoaz Hendel grew up in Elkana, in Judea and Samaria / the West Bank, in a national-religious household. He earned a doctorate in history at Tel Aviv University, focusing on intelligence methods in antiquity. He is married to Shiri, with whom he has four children, and lives in Nes Harim.
In 1993, he enlisted in the navy and joined the Shayetet 13 commando unit, becoming a unit commander and then a company commander, including during Operation Grapes of Wrath. After approximately six and a half years of active service, he continued in security roles until the age of 29, including in the Shabak during the Second Intifada. A reserve officer (lieutenant colonel), he took part in the Second Lebanon War, Operation Cast Lead, Operation Protective Edge and the Swords of Iron War; in 2015, he founded the Omer special reserve unit.
Before his political career, he taught terrorism and guerrilla warfare at Bar-Ilan University (2009–2013), was a columnist for Yedioth Ahronoth and Makor Rishon, headed the Institute for Zionist Strategies, and wrote or co-wrote several books, including Let the IDF Win (2010, with Zaki Shalom) and Conversations on Israeli Hope (2018, with President Reuven Rivlin). In August 2011, he became director of communications and public diplomacy in Netanyahu's office. In February 2012, he resigned after reporting allegations of sexual harassment against chief of staff Natan Eshel to the attorney general — an action for which the Movement for Quality Government in Israel named him a “Knight of Quality Government” in October 2012.
In January 2019, he joined Moshe Yaalon's Telem party, which merged with Yesh Atid and Hosen Yisrael to form the Blue and White list; he entered the Knesset in October 2019. In March 2020, he founded the Derekh Eretz faction with Zvi Hauser, then became Minister of Communications in May 2020, resigning his Knesset seat under the “Norwegian Law” and leaving his place to Zvi Hauser. In December 2020, his departure for Gideon Saar's New Hope cost him his ministerial post.
Re-elected with New Hope in 2021, he again became Minister of Communications in June 2021. In 2022, he allied with Ayelet Shaked within the “Zionist Spirit” list; the alliance broke up in September 2022 and he stepped back from politics.
In September 2025, he founded The Reservists party, bringing together reservists, reservists' families, wounded IDF personnel and bereaved families around universal conscription and a commission of inquiry into October 7. On July 7, 2026, he allied with former minister Chili Tropper to form Zionist Home, with Tropper as chairman of the list and Hendel in second place; on September 6, 2026, Tropper broke off the alliance and merged his party with Eisenkot's Yashar. On the same day, Hendel allied with economist Yaron Zelekha to form Reservists—Economy, becoming the head of its list, with Zelekha in second place and former Knesset member Einat Wilf in third.
Yoaz Hendel enlisted in the navy in 1993 and joined the Shayetet 13 commando unit. He rose to team commander and then company commander, including during Operation Grapes of Wrath. After about six and a half years of active service, he stayed in security roles until age 29, including with the Shin Bet during the Second Intifada. As a reserve officer (lieutenant colonel), he later served in the Second Lebanon War, Operation Cast Lead, Operation Protective Edge and the Iron Swords War. In 2015, he founded the Omer special reserve unit.
Before entering politics, he earned a PhD in history from Tel Aviv University, on intelligence methods in the ancient world. He taught terrorism and guerrilla warfare at Bar-Ilan University (2009-2013) and wrote for Yedioth Ahronoth and Makor Rishon. He also published several books, including Let the IDF Win (2010, with Zaki Shalom) and Conversations on Israeli Hope (2018, co-written with President Reuven Rivlin). In August 2011, he became director of communications and public diplomacy in Netanyahu's office. He resigned in February 2012 after reporting sexual harassment allegations against bureau chief Natan Eshel to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein. For this, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel named him a "Knight of Quality Government" in October 2012.
Hendel joined Moshe Ya'alon's Telem party in January 2019. Telem then merged with Yesh Atid and Hosen Yisrael to form the Blue and White list, and Hendel entered the Knesset in April 2019. In March 2020, he founded the Derekh Eretz faction with Zvi Hauser. In May 2020, he became Minister of Communications. He lost the post in December 2020, when Benny Gantz fired him after he announced he was joining Gideon Sa'ar's New Hope.
Hendel was re-elected with New Hope in 2021 and became Minister of Communications again in June 2021. He then gave up his Knesset seat under the "Norwegian Law," making way for Zvi Hauser. In July 2022, he joined forces with Ayelet Shaked to launch the Zionist Spirit party. The alliance broke up on September 11, 2022, after internal disagreements, and he stepped back from politics.
Hendel founded The Reservists in September 2025. The party brings together reservists, their families, wounded IDF soldiers and bereaved families. Its main goals are universal conscription and a state commission of inquiry into October 7. On July 7, 2026, he joined forces with former minister Chili Tropper to form Zionist Home, with Tropper at the top of the list and Hendel second. The party said it would support a coalition only if Hendel received the National Security portfolio and a law on universal conscription of Haredim was passed. But it struggled to pass the electoral threshold in the polls.
On September 6, 2026, Tropper ended the alliance and merged his party into Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar. The same day, left without a list, Hendel joined forces with economist Yaron Zelekha to form Reservists-Economy. Hendel heads the list, with Zelekha second and former MK Einat Wilf third. Polls at the time showed this combination passing the electoral threshold.