Shaking up Israeli politics
Hendel was speaking during a visit to this country organised by the Zionist Federation of Australia.
Former Israeli communications minister and founder of the Reservists Movement, Yoaz Hendel, has called for radical changes to Israeli democracy.
The political activist believes voting rights and holding public office should be restricted to those who serve in the military or national service.
Recent polls have suggested if he led a political party, it could win up to eight or nine seats in the Knesset.
Hendel was speaking during a visit to this country organised by the Zionist Federation of Australia, where he spoke at the ZFA plenary conference.
He argued the current system in which ultra-Orthodox Jews receive military exemptions while others bear the burden of reserve duty is unsustainable.
“It’s impossible, from my point of view, that [a politician] will take decisions about how I’m going to risk my life while his kids are not serving in the army,” Hendel said.
The reserve battalion commander, who has served more than 440 days since October 7, said the exemption system creates an unjust burden on secular and religious Zionist Israelis.
“It’s impossible that the State of Israel will sponsor and then give money for institutions that support Israelis that are not serving,” he argued.
Hendel, who returned to reserve duty upon arriving back in Israel following his Australian visit, delivered scathing criticism of Israel’s political leadership following the October 7 Hamas attack.
“From my point of view, at October 7, the State of Israel disappeared. The government, for sure, disappeared. The politicians disappeared. They all went to the bunkers,” he said.
“The people that took leadership were the reservists and citizens that went down to the south.”
He said ordinary Israelis filled the leadership vacuum when official structures collapsed.
“The army collapsed, our headquarters collapsed, and our politicians disappeared without taking any responsibility,” Hendel said.
Despite his criticism of Israel’s government, Hendel expressed optimism about Israeli society, describing the civilian response to October 7 as “a moment of glory and huge hope”.
The former minister called on Australian Jews to make aliyah, saying Israel needs Diaspora voices to influence politics.
When asked what kind of Israelis Australian Jews would make if they chose aliyah, Hendel was effusive in his praise.
“Great Israelis! Actually, we need you. We need you, the Australians, to come to Israel to influence our politics,” he said.
He described the Australian Jewish voice as distinctly valuable, saying it represents “a very clear, Zionistic, modest and pragmatic voice” that transcends traditional political divisions.