# Yoaz Hendel

Yoaz Hendel (Hebrew: יועז הנדל; born 22 May 1975) is an Israeli politician and public figure who served as Minister of Communications and as a member of the Knesset. He is also a author, publicist, public activist, businessman, and a battalion commander in the reserves. Additionally, he is the founder and chairman of the Miluimnikim ("Reservists") Movement. Hendel holds a doctorate in history and previously served as a lecturer in the Department of Political Science at Bar-Ilan University. Before entering politics, he worked in the defense establishment, was a journalist and columnist, hosted radio and television programs, and served as head of the Institute for Zionist Strategies.

## Biography

Hendel was born in Petah Tikva to Miriam and Yona Hendel, the latter of whom immigrated from Romania in 1961. He was raised in Elkana, Samaria, in a religious-nationalist household. During high school, he decided to stop wearing a kippah.
In 1993, Hendel enlisted in the IDF and volunteered for the naval commando unit (“Shayetet 13”). He completed the commando training and later attended the infantry officers' course. Afterwards, he returned to Shayetet 13 as a team commander and later served as a company commander, including during Operation Grapes of Wrath. Hendel was discharged after approximately six and a half years but continued serving in various security positions until the age of 29, including a role in the Shin Bet during the Second Intifada.
Hendel is a lieutenant colonel in the reserves and has participated in multiple military operations, including the Second Lebanon War, Operation Cast Lead, Operation Protective Edge, and the Iron Swords War. In 2015, he established the Omer Unit, a special reserve command unit composed of veterans from elite units such as the Shayetet 13, Sayeret Matkal (the special reconnaissance unit), and Shaldag (the air force’s special unit). After leaving politics, he returned to the reserves and fought in the Iron Swords War as the commander of Battalion 8555.
In August 2011, Hendel was appointed head of the National Information Division in the Prime Minister's Office. In early 2012, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu selected him as a member of the negotiating team with the Palestinians in Jordan. However, the talks ended on January 26, 2012. In February 2012, Hendel resigned due to the Natan Eshel affair.
Hendel earned a doctorate in history from Tel Aviv University, focusing on intelligence methods in the ancient world, from the Hasmonean Revolt to the Bar Kokhba Revolt. During his studies, he was a research fellow at the Jaffe Center for Strategic Studies, publishing several studies on Israeli intelligence, the Second Lebanon War, and guerrilla warfare.
From 2009 to 2013, Hendel served as a lecturer in courses on terrorism and guerrilla warfare at Bar-Ilan University. He was a regular columnist for Yedioth Ahronoth and Makor Rishon and hosted and participated in various radio and television programs on current affairs.
In 2010, Hendel co-authored Let the IDF Win with Professor Zaki Shalom, analyzing the Second Intifada and the fight against terrorist organizations. The book won the first Moldovan Military Literature Prize that year. In 2011, he co-authored Israel vs. Iran – The Shadow War with journalist Yaakov Katz, detailing the covert war between Israel and Iran.
In December 2015, he published his fourth book, In an Unsown Land – An Israeli Journey, which explored Israeli society, its various factions, and the political and security challenges facing the country. Journalist Raanan Shaked described it as a modern right-wing counterpart to Amos Oz's Here and There in the Land of Israel.
In 2016, he appeared in an episode of the series And the Land Was Chaos, focusing on the Hasmonean Revolt.

### Public and Political Activism

In 2012, Hendel became head of the Institute for Zionist Straties. At the same time, he resumed writing a current affairs column for Yedioth Ahronoth. In October 2012, Hendel was awarded the Knight of Quality Government title by the Movement for the Quality of Government in Israel for exposing the Natan Eshel affair. In 2013, he won the Social Exemplary Award from the Ometz movement.
In 2013, under Hendel’s leadership, the Institute for Zionist Strategies established a human rights organization called "Blue and White Human Rights". Hendel argued that the right to the Land of Israel comes with a moral obligation. He emphasized that Zionism is not exclusive to the right and that human rights are not exclusive to the left. Unlike other human rights organizations, his group reported rights violations directly to IDF investigative bodies rather than the media.
Hendel also served on the public council of the Beit Hillel Rabbinical Organization, Natal, and the board of trustees of the "Bshvil Hamachar" association, and other organizations.
In 2017, he helped organize a protest in Jerusalem against government corruption, coinciding with a demonstration in Tel Aviv.

## Political career

In August 2011 Hendel was appointed Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy for Prime Minister Netanyahu and in early 2012 as a member of the negotiation team with the Palestinians in Jordan. He resigned from his post on 21 February 2012, after Netanyahu told him he had lost confidence in him for having informed the Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein of possible sexual harassment by the Prime Minister's bureau chief Natan Eshel. This information eventually led to an investigation by the Civil Service Commission and Eshel's resignation. Hendel and Cabinet Secretary Zvi Hauser, who was also reprimanded by Netanyahu for the same reason, told Netanyahu that they had not updated him in order to not implicate him in the affair.
In October 2012 the Movement for Quality Government in Israel awarded Hendel the title of "Knight of Quality Government 2012" in the Maintenance of Government Quality and Integrity Category for revealing the scandal. A year later he received the social prize of excellence by Ometz.
In January 2019, he joined the Telem party led by former Defense Minister Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon. In February 2019, Hendel and the Telem party joined the Blue and White slate (along with Yesh Atid and Hosen L'Israel) ahead of Israel's April 2019 parliamentary elections. Hendel was placed 9th on the Blue and White slate and entered the Knesset. On October 3, 2019, Hendel was sworn in as a Member of the 22nd Knesset. During the 23rd Knesset, amidst the split of the Blue and White slate that began when Benny Gantz was chosen as Speaker of the Knesset, Hendel and his fellow Telem MK Zvi Hauser also voted in favor of Gantz' election to the post. This was done in opposition to fellow Telem and Yesh Atid party members and led to the forming of the Unity Government of Blue and White and the Likud. In March 2020, Hendel and Zvi Hauser formed their own political faction, Derekh Eretz, with Hendel serving as chairman of the faction.

### Minister of Communications

In May 2020, Hendel was appointed as Minister of Communications in the thirty-fifth government of Israel.
In June 2020, Hendel announced a reform to solve the issue of fake text messages. This problem was prevalent as various groups were taking advantage of other peoples' cell phone numbers and sending phony messages in their name, while assuming their identity.
Hendel’s ministry led a major reform, enabling and regulating the spread of advanced fiber optics (high speed internet) throughout Israel.
Hendel adopted the recommendations of the Rosen Committee regarding the postal services. The committee issued its recommendations in February 2019, yet the two previous Ministers of Communications, Ayoob Kara and Dudi Amsalem, both refrained from implementing them. In June 2020, Hendel requested that the Director-General of Israel's Government Advertising Agency provide the advertising statistics regarding Facebook, in order to reduce the number of governmental advertisements on Facebook and Google, in light of the global protests against them.
In November 2020, Hendel visited Rwanda, and met with Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The two signed a bilateral agreement between the two countries regarding the promotion of communications and technological entrepreneurship. During his visit, Hendel also met with the Rwandan Minister of Communications.
On 9 December 2020, Hendel and Zvi Hauser announced that they will join Gideon Sa'ar's new party, New Hope. In December 2020 Hendel was relieved by Benny Gantz from his position as Minister of Communications due to Hendel's joining New Hope.
The following day, Hendel recommended the approval of the HOT company joining ICB’s optical fibers initiative, and he published a hearing for the reduction of Bezeq’s landline rates.

### Second Term as Minister of Communications

Hendel was placed fourth on New Hope's list for the 2021 elections. He retained his seat in the Knesset as New Hope won six seats.
In June 2021, Hendel again became Minister of Communications in the thirty-sixth government of Israel. He resigned his Knesset seat under the Norwegian Law and was replaced by Zvi Hauser.
Just a few days after taking office, Hendel approved the cancellation of the separation between internet supplier and infrastructure. The reform would enable customers to purchase internet service via one single provider and to solve any issues through that provided. Previously, customers would need to purchase internet infrastructure and the services separately. In December 2021, Hendel led the decision to lower the rates of telephone landlines by 40%.
In March 2022, Hendel’s postal reform was approved.
Ahead of the Knesset elections of November 2022, Hendel signed a unification agreement with the Yamina party led by Ayelet Shaked to create the Zionist Spirit list, and was placed second. On September 11, Shaked and Handel announced that they had decided to dissolve the political partnership and the "Zionist spirit" following differences of opinion. Two days later he announced taking a break from political life.

## Views and opinions

Hendel is a self-described right-wing, liberal nationalist with a right-wing pragmatic approach. He is generally considered to be on the center-right of Israeli politics.
In March 2013 the IZS, with Hendel as chairman, announced the establishment of a human rights organization called The Blue and White Human Rights Association. Hendel argues in his columns that the real right to the Land of Israel is accompanied by a moral debt. During the establishment conference, it was argued that Zionism is not a monopoly of the right, and human rights are not a monopoly of the left. The organization intends to operate at the crossings checkpoints where the IDF is present, to assist at points of friction, in schools to educate on the importance of purity of arms and with the help of a group of physicians, to provide free medical treatment regardless of religion, race or sex. Unlike other human rights organizations operating in the territories, the policy is not to provide information to the media about human rights violations, but to give the information to the army's authorized investigations. The human rights organization by Hendel deals with public relations on behalf of Israel, and presents the "efforts and the great moral advantage" of the Zionist movement.

## Personal life

Hendel is married to Shiri, has four children, and lives in Nes Harim.

## Published works
### Books

* Yoaz Hendel; Zaki Shalom. Let the IDF Win: The Self-Fulfilling Slogan (Yedioth Ahronoth Books, 2010).
* Yoaz Hendel. Daddy goes to reserve service. (Yedioth Books, 2011).
* Yaakov Katz; Yoaz Hendel. Israel vs. Iran (Zmora -Bitan Books, April 2011, Potomac Books 2012) Google Books
* Yoaz Hendel. In an Unsown Land: An Israeli Journey (Yedioth Ahronoth Books, 2016).
* Yoaz Hendel; Reuven Rivlin. Conversations on Israeli Hope (Yedioth Ahronoth Books and Chemed Books, 2018).

### Select publications

* "Iran's nukes and Israel's dilemma". Middle East Quarterly (30 April 2013)
* "Why we lean to the political right in Israel". The Guardian (20 January 2013)
* "Terrorism and Piracy", in Culture and Civilization, (ed) I. L. Horowitz (Transaction Publishers, Rutgers N.J), January 2011
* "Pirates: Not Only in the Caribbean", BESA Center Perspectives Papers, No.106, 14 April 2010.
* "The Lone Terrorist", BESA Center Perspectives Papers, No.86, 13 July 2009.
* "Did Israel's Military Action in Gaza Make Israel More Secure", in: Global Issues – Selections from CQ Researcher, (ed) D. Repetto (London 2009), 77.
* Review of Rose Mary Sheldon's book: Spies of the Bible: Espionage in Israel from the Exodus to the Bar Kokhba Revolt, The Journal of Military History, Volume 72, Number 2, April 2008.
* "The Reserves Comeback", Strategic Assessment, Volume 10, no. 4 (February 2008)
* "Arab Culture in the Eyes of the West", Strategic Assessment, Volume 9, no.4 (March 2007) (with A. Mansour).
* "Conceptual Flaws on the Road to the Second Lebanon War", Strategic Assessment, Volume 10, no. 1 (June 2007) (with Z. Shalom).
* "IDF Special Units: Their Purpose and Operational Concept", Strategic Assessment, Volume 10, No. 2 (August 2007).
* "Failed Tactical Intelligence in the Lebanon War", Strategic Assessment, Volume 9, no. 3 (November 2006)