Tropper and Hendel Rule Out Sitting in a Netanyahu Government

Hili Tropper, chairman of the Zionist Home and the Reservists, the slate he launched this month with Yoaz Hendel, declared Tuesday that his party will not sit in a government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, calling it a matter of principle. He tied the position to conscription, saying the IDF needs combat soldiers and that everyone's security is harmed when there are too few. Tropper said Israel needs a Zionist government independent of Haredi and Arab parties. Unity party chairman Gilad Erdan responded that a vote for Tropper delivers Yair Golan, and pledged that only his list would refuse any narrow government. Religious Zionism accused the pair of boycotting its voters.