In a surprising turn of events, some of Israel’s leading high-tech executives, spearheaded by Eyal Waldman, are considering ousting Netanyahu and foray into politics by potentially forming a new party. Bloomberg reported this development, which comes amidst growing dissatisfaction with the current government’s performance, particularly in the wake of the October 7 attacks and the ongoing war.
Eyal Waldman founded Mellanox, which was sold for $6.9 billion to Nvidia in 2019 to boost Nvidia’s growth in the data center field. In 2018, Mellanox generated revenue of $2.9 billion. Waldman is also the recipient of the 2024 Israel Prize for Entrepreneurship and has emerged as a prominent voice against the government.
Tragically, Waldman lost his daughter Daniel and her partner Noam in the attacks at the nature party in Ra’im. In an interview with Bloomberg, Waldman stated, “I am working to advance the elections,” adding that “the current government is the enemy of the state.”
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The potential political movement is not limited to Waldman alone. A business forum comprising about 200 leaders, including CEOs and chairmen of large companies, has been expressing discontent with the government’s actions even before October 7, during the days of the legal revolution, and continuing after the outbreak of the war.
Establishing a new political party, running candidates on existing party lists, and volunteering for key positions in major ministries.
The primary goal appears to be ousting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his partners in the religious parties. Waldman himself is reportedly attempting to convince coalition MKs to overthrow the government.
Other prominent figures mentioned as potential collaborators in this political venture include Chemi Peres (Pitango), son of former President Shimon Peres; Yizhar Shai, former Minister of Science who lost his son Yaron on Black Sabbath; Einat Guez, CEO of Papaya Global and Assaf Rappaport, CEO of Wiz.
When asked about his personal political ambitions, Waldman responded cautiously, saying, “If we have to and it will be the only option, then maybe yes.”
This potential new political movement reflects the growing frustration among Israel’s business and tech leaders with the current government’s policies and handling of recent crises. As the situation develops, whether these discussions will materialize into a concrete political force capable of challenging the existing power structure in Israeli politics remains to be seen.
