Apartheid in Israel? New Party Wants to Deny Basic Rights

Yoaz Hendel, once a prominent voice in Israel’s political scene, is staging a comeback with a controversial new party called “The Reservists.” While he brands it as a patriotic right-wing movement, Hendel’s proposals are drawing sharp criticism, with some accusing him of promoting an apartheid-like system inside Israel itself.

Speaking at a conference in Be’er Sheva, Hendel declared: “On the issue of enlistment, we must be forceful and aggressive. Whoever doesn’t serve will get nothing from the state – including the right to vote or be elected.”

The remarks triggered outrage among Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community, who see his plan as a direct attack on Torah students. Observers note that while Hendel claims to represent the right, polling shows his party siphons support mainly from center-left voters disillusioned with the opposition.

If Hendel’s vision were implemented, it would mark a dramatic departure from Israel’s democratic norms, potentially excluding hundreds of thousands of citizens from political participation. His party, still in its infancy, is currently projected to win only a handful of Knesset seats – yet his rhetoric has already reignited one of Israel’s deepest political divides.