Fourth Quarter founder Yoav Heller says Israel needs political renewal, not more boycotts

Dr. Yoav Heller, the founder of the Fourth Quarter, an emerging political party in Israel, called for political renewal rather than more boycotts to address the country's polarization. The party, which has been active for four years, aims to bring new leaders and ideas to the Knesset, though the movement may opt not to run in future elections.

In an interview with The Jerusalem Post's editor-in-chief Zvika Klein, Heller stated that 69% of the party's activists supported entering politics, but acknowledged limited name recognition as a challenge. The Fourth Quarter could potentially form a partnership with an established politician, create an alliance with other new political forces, or run independently with several known candidates.

However, the party would not obstruct a broader political merger if it jeopardized their viability. Heller firmly rejected the idea of political boycotts as a basis for forming Israel's next government, even though he believes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should step down. He emphasized that if voters select Netanyahu, the political system should respect the result.

Heller was critical of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and The Democrats party, yet opposed their exclusion from a future coalition. His preferred government would adopt a hawkish stance on defense and pursue significant domestic reforms, including judicial reform, tackling organized crime in Arab society, establishing a new framework of civic responsibility and state benefits, and improving Israeli education.

If appointed to a ministerial role, Heller would prefer the Justice Ministry, with judicial reform as his top priority. He stressed that any government must serve all Israelis, not just its political base.