"People need clear answers": What is behind the collapse of the third bloc?

Reservists and Economy Party chairman Yoaz Hendel refused in an interview to state who he would recommend to form the government, although his statement about "whoever brings the most Zionist mandates" points to Gadi Eisenkot. Commentator Barak Sari argued that the refusal to choose a political side led to the collapse of the "third bloc," while Hendel claimed the bloc had not collapsed and that a quarter of a million Israelis want to focus on conscription and the cost of living.

Reservists and Economy Party chairman Yoaz Hendel refused yesterday (Tuesday) in an interview on the "Sari and Shlezinger" podcast to unequivocally state the identity of the person he would recommend to form the government after the elections. This, despite his statement that he would recommend "whoever brings the most Zionist mandates" pointing, according to commentators, to Gadi Eisenkot, who leads by a large margin in Zionist mandates according to Hendel's definition, which does not consider the Haredi parties as Zionist. Political commentator Barak Sari argued that the stubborn refusal to choose a political side led to the collapse of the "third bloc," as he said the public needs clear answers. "It could be that people get clear answers on that side and that side, and when people talk to you, they don't get clear answers, and therefore this bloc may have collapsed," Sari said. In contrast, Hendel claimed the bloc had not collapsed, and that according to polls it currently includes only his party's four mandates. "There are a quarter of a million Israelis who tell you: We disagree with you. We want to be in the third bloc, which deals with conscription for everyone and the cost of living," Hendel explained. Sari responded that there is also a need for implementation of ideas, not just presentation.