MK Chili Tropper announced on Sunday that he will leave the Blue and White Party, led by Benny Gantz, and hold consultations with political figures to determine his next steps in finding a new framework ahead of the upcoming elections.
The move marks another blow to Gantz’s party after a series of departures by lawmakers who are now members of the Yashar! party led by Gadi Eisenkot, once Gantz’s second in command. It also comes as the Blue and White party has failed to clear the electoral threshold in recent polls.
Announcing his departure, Tropper said that, in the coming weeks, he would meet with everyone he believed “should be part of rebuilding the country’s leadership,” and then would decide “on the political framework that I believe is right.”
He said that he was leaving the party because he could no longer “realize his worldview,” and that “meaningful influence is no longer possible within the Blue and White party.”
Gantz described the departure as a “painful day,” adding that Tropper was the first person he had brought on to help build the party and had been “with me at every decision-making point.”
Despite the loss, Gantz said that Blue and White would “continue charging forward.”
Blue and White stated that “Gantz and Tropper expressed mutual appreciation for their partnership and shared belief in their path and expressed hope that each of them will continue contributing to the country in their own way.”
Blue and White suffers setbacks as MKs continue to leave party
Amid failure to clear the electoral threshold in recent polls, the party has also been distanced from the opposition bloc seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming elections.
Gantz has indicated that he would not object to teaming up with Netanyahu, and recently called for a “broad Zionist government.” Although the Blue and White Party is in the opposition, Gantz has served in two unity governments under Netanyahu and been criticized for a back-and-forth approach.
After Eisenkot left Blue and White, his new Yashar! party emerged as a leader in the opposition bloc seeking to replace Netanyahu in elections expected to take place no later than October.
Tropper will reportedly consider joining forces with either Eisenkot or former prime minister Naftali Bennett’s Together party, which merged last week with opposition leader Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid.
Following the announcement of Tropper’s departure, Eisenkot immediately noted that he was a friend and partner and “one of the finest people that the Knesset of Israel has known.”
The Yashar! leader added that he would be very glad to see Tropper continue in public life “in order to bring about change and hope.”
Former ministers Matan Kahana and Orit Farkash Hacohen both joined Yashar! after leaving Gantz’s party.
Eisenkot began announcing new members he had added to his list last week, and his party stated on Thursday that it expected to announce additional senior figures in the coming weeks.
Bennett also praised Tropper, writing in a post later in the day that the people of Israel needed people like him in the country’s leadership.
Lapid added in a post that he wished Tropper luck and that they would “continue to do great things together for the State of Israel.”
Tropper is debating whether to form a new party of his own or join the Reservists party, according to a Sunday KAN News report.
Reservist party leader Yoaz Hendel responded to news of Tropper’s departure by posting, “There are not many representatives in parliaments around the world who have contributed as much.” He added that Israel “needs as many people like Tropper as possible.”
According to an additional KAN report, which Gantz refuted, the Blue and White leader had considered stepping down and not running in the upcoming election after holding consultations with close associates on Sunday. Gantz denied the claim as an “absolute lie” in an X/Twitter post.
Blue and White sent out a clarification message, noting that “Gantz is moving forward to lead the party and working toward establishing a broad Zionist unity government.”