MK Chili Tropper announced on Sunday that he will leave the Blue and White Party, led by MK Benny Gantz, and meet with various politicians to decide his next steps in finding a new party ahead of the upcoming elections.
“In the coming weeks, I will meet with everyone I believe should be part of rebuilding the country’s leadership, and afterward I will decide on the political framework that I believe is right,” Tropper stated.
He said that he was leaving the party because he could no longer “realize his worldview.”
“Meaningful influence is no longer possible within the Blue and White party,” he wrote in a social media post.
Gantz called it a “painful day,” and stated that Tropper was the first person he brought to help build the party.
The Blue and White leader added that Tropper “was 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
Gantz’s party has failed to clear the electoral threshold in recent polls, and it has been distanced from the opposition bloc. Gantz has also indicated that he would not object to teaming up with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Although the Blue and White Party is in the opposition, Gantz has served in two unity governments under Netanyahu and has been criticized for a back-and-forth approach.
Tropper’s departure marks another blow to Gantz’s party after it suffered several setbacks when multiple MKs left the faction over the past year.
The most significant departure was Yashar! Party leader Gadi Eisenkot, who left in June after serving as Gantz’s second-in-command.
Eisenkot’s Yashar! has emerged as a leading party 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 the Together Party led by former prime minister Naftali Bennett, which merged last week with opposition leader Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid.
Tropper is also considering forming a new party of his own or joining the Reservists Party, according to a Sunday report from Israeli public broadcaster KAN News.
Following the announcement of Tropper’s departure, Eisenkot said that Tropper was a friend and partner, “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 departing from Gantz’s party.
Eisenkot began announcing new members to his list last week, and his party stated on Thursday that it expects to announce additional senior figures in the coming weeks.
Reservist Party leader Yoaz Hendel responded to Tropper’s departure by posting that there aren’t many representatives in parliaments around the world who have contributed as much as him.
Hendel added that Israel “needs as many people as Tropper as possible.”
