Party Profile: The Reservists and Economic Party (Hendel and Zelekha)
Profile of the joint Reservists and New Economic Party slate led by Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelekha, a threshold-risk run.
The Reservists and Economic Party is a joint slate of Yoaz Hendel's Reservists and Yaron Zelekha's New Economic Party. It averaged 2.7 seats in polls from 24 September to 7 October 2026, right on the threshold. This profile covers its list, platform and threshold risk.
Who they are
This is a joint run by Yoaz Hendel's Reservists party and Yaron Zelekha's New Economic Party. Hendel, 51, founded the Reservists in Sept 2025. Zelekha, 56, is a former Accountant General.
| Leader | Yoaz Hendel |
| Ballot letter | די (Dalet-Yud) |
| Poll average (24 Sep to 7 Oct) | 2.7 seats |
| Camp | Unaligned |
| Space | Centrist-right, reservist and anti-corruption, pro-draft |
| Coalition stance | Zionist government only, no Haredi or Arab parties |
The path to this slate was bumpy. Hendel first allied with Chili Tropper's Zionist Home in July. The alliance split on 5 to 7 Sept after Tropper moved to Yashar. Hendel then joined Zelekha.
The slate is on the edge. The threshold is about 4 seats. Most polls give it 4, but Channel 13 had it at 2.9% on 7 Oct and Channel 14 at 1.8%. It is one of the clearest threshold risks in the race.
The list: who is likely to get in
If the slate crosses the threshold with 4 seats, the first four get in. If it doesn't, nobody does. The joint slate has 39 names. These are the top 15.
| # | Name | Age |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yoaz Hendel | 51 |
| 2 | Yaron Zelekha | 56 |
| 3 | Einat Wilf | 55 |
| 4 | Haviv Volibovich | n/a |
| 5 | Yoav Adomi | n/a |
| 6 | Ofir Langman | n/a |
| 7 | Shlomi Damari | n/a |
| 8 | Lior Gilboa | n/a |
| 9 | Tehila Peretz | n/a |
| 10 | Shalom Biton | n/a |
| 11 | Amalia Kenan | n/a |
| 12 | Hila Bornstein | n/a |
| 13 | Itai Getler | n/a |
| 14 | Moshe Elisha | n/a |
| 15 | Yonatan Behat | n/a |
Yoaz Hendel (1). A former minister and a former Knesset member. He built the Reservists as a vehicle for combat veterans and says the war made the case for universal service.
Yaron Zelekha (2). A former Accountant General at the Finance Ministry and a former MK. He runs on an anti-corruption and economic-reform platform.
Einat Wilf (3). A former Labor MK, 55, and a writer on Zionism and the Middle East. She brings an intellectual, hawkish-centrist voice.
Others on the list. Slots 4 to 15 have thinner public profiles in the sources I could verify.
Note: check the final list against the Central Elections Committee publication.
Platform and coalition plans
| Issue | Position |
|---|---|
| Draft | Universal service, with sanctions for those who avoid it |
| Timing | Pass a conscription law before forming a government |
| 7 October | State commission of inquiry |
| Coalition | Zionist government only. No Haredi parties. No Arab parties. |
The slate has not committed to either leader. It says it will join a Zionist government, but a government that avoids the Haredi parties and the Arab parties is hard to build on either side. If it falls under 3.25%, its voters, who are mostly center-right, lose their say. That is why the polls near 4 seats matter for both blocs. See the Election Math article.
Sources: Party list filings; coverage of the Reservists and Zionist Home split, 5 to 7 Sept; Channel 13 and Channel 14 polls, 7 Oct; poll tracking, 24 Sept to 7 Oct.
Frequently asked questions
Who leads the Reservists and Economic Party?
Yoaz Hendel, 51, leads the slate. Yaron Zelekha, 56 and a former Accountant General, is second. Hendel founded the Reservists in September 2025. Einat Wilf is third.
What is the party's ballot letter?
The ballot letter is Dalet-Yud (די). It is a joint slate with 39 names. Yoaz Hendel is number 1 and Yaron Zelekha is number 2. The poll average is 2.7 seats.
Will the Reservists and Economic Party pass the threshold?
It is on the edge. Most polls give it 4 seats, the threshold is about 4 seats, but Channel 13 had it at 2.9% on 7 October and Channel 14 at 1.8%.
Which camp is the Reservists and Economic Party in?
It is unaligned and has not committed to either leader. It says it will join only a Zionist government with no Haredi parties and no Arab parties, and it wants a conscription law first.
Cite this page: The Israel Gazette. “Party Profile: The Reservists and Economic Party (Hendel and Zelekha).” Updated 9 October 2026. https://israelgazette.com/election/party-profile-reservists-and-economic-party-hendel-and-zelekha/