Brigadier-General (reserves) Gal Hirsch announced earlier in the week that he is going to join the Likud party at the behest of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Hirsch ran in the election race for the 21st Knesset in April 2019 with his Magen party, but his party failed to pass the minimum electoral threshold to enter Knesset. Hirsch has already submitted the paperwork to become an official member of Likud, receiving a warm response on social media from PM Netanyahu.

Hirsch wrote on his Facebook page, “I was invited today by the prime minister to join the Likud party as a full member. I served the people of Israel from my youth as a fighter and commander, as an entrepreneur and developer, as an educator and social activist. For years I fought and commended in all areas, led fighters to battle and stealth operations, and I was seriously wounded and returned to serve in the IDF despite the disability”.

Hirsch, a highly decorated officer, became the scapegoat for the Second Lebanon War as he was a commander on the northern front. Hirsch was later appointed to become the police commissioner, but an outcry from his opponents led to his decision to decline the post despite efforts by Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan to persuade him to accept it.

גל הירש, ברוך הבא לליכוד 💪🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/SrziOXahKr

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) July 30, 2019

He also enjoyed the support of PM Netanyahu, but he felt there would be too much controversy surrounding the appointment and he preferred to decline.

It is now known that he was targeted in a smear campaign that led to him leaving the military and declining the police appointment. Clearly, Hirsch was in line to become a chief of staff, and his opponents succeeded in preventing this from happening, as seen with other decorated officers, including Brigadier-General Ofer Winter and Major-General (reserves) Effie Eitam.

Following is PM Netanyahu’s statement at the time he declined the top police position.
“Approximately one month ago, reserve Brig.-Gen. Gal Hirsch was chosen by Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan as his candidate for the post of Israel Police Commissioner.

“I expressed my satisfaction with the appointment and my great appreciation for the candidate, a man of considerable merit and action for the security of the state.

“Gal Hirsch is the right man for the post of Police Commissioner; I thought so then and I think so now.

“But our appointments process is long, arduous and damaging, and undoubtedly deserves reexamination.

“For a month already Gal Hirsch’s good name has been trampled anew by critics. And for what? For agreeing to leave successful work and to report for a challenging and important national mission for all citizens of the state.

“He agreed without hesitation and look what happened:

“Slander and denigration. It is not proper to act this way toward someone who has sacrificed his best years, energy and talent on behalf of the State of Israel.

“The long time and the fact that it has not been possible to obtain a specific timeframe for what we call ‘the examination process’ led to the Public Security Minister’s turning to reserve Brig.-Gen. Gal Hirsch, who was ready and willing to carry out the mission, despite the major damage that was caused to him and his family, and to inform him that due to this he was compelled to ask that his name be withdrawn.

“I have no doubt that we will yet hear much from Gal Hirsch. I would like the Israeli people to yet benefit from his talents, experience and abilities.”

It is too late for Hirsh to be placed on the ballot for this upcoming election, for 22nd Knesset, but he will be eligible to run for a position in the following Knesset election assuming the next Knesset lasts longer than the current one, which was elected in April 2019.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)