Israel: Shaked, Hendel end short-lived partnership prior to elections

Israel’s Zionist Spirit party leader Ayelet Shaked and recent ally Yoaz Hendel ended their short-lived political partnership yesterday, local media reported.

Shaked, the Israeli interior minister, and Hendel, the Communications minister, formed their partnership just one and half a month ago.

They ended their partnership over the party’s support for a possible government led by Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu, which would be strongly opposed by Hendel.

Shaked claimed she took the initiative for the break-up, i24 News reported, adding she is ready to join a narrow coalition led by Netanyahu and including far-right MK Itamar Ben-Gvir.

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“In the event that a government of national unity fails to be formed after the next election, Yoaz Hendel wanted to lead the country to another election rather than form a right-wing government. This option is inconceivable,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Times of Israel reported Hendel telling a closed WhatsApp group that he sat down twice with Shaked and concluded he “cannot accept the possibility that Zionist Spirit will award [Netanyahu] a narrow government.”

Hendel wrote that he intended “to lead Zionist Spirit as the only party representing the normal right wing,” an apparent challenge to Shaked’s leadership of the party.

He added: “In my eyes, a narrow government of Bibi [Netanyahu] and Ben Gvir, or the centre-left and the Joint List, is a disaster,” in reference to the Arab majority coalition.