Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar! party adds businessman Shirel Hogeg to head gov't efficiency program

The Yashar! party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, announced Monday that entrepreneur, businessman, and social activist Shirel Hogeg is joining the party. Hogeg is expected to lead Yashar!’s program focused on improving government efficiency and public services.

According to the party, Hogeg, who was born and raised in Ofakim, brings extensive managerial and business experience. Throughout his career, he has held senior positions in the private sector, led large organizations, and managed growth and efficiency initiatives at Israeli and international companies. Most recently, he served as CEO of the AMPM supermarket chain.

The party said that since October 7, Hogeg has emerged as a prominent voice in Israel’s public debate. During the Hamas attack on Kibbutz Kfar Aza, his sister, Dr. Elay Hogeg, and her husband fought for their lives after being injured and ultimately managed to escape the kibbutz with their infant daughter.

“Out of personal pain and the national crisis, Hogeg worked to promote accountability, change, and reform, with a particular focus on establishing a state commission of inquiry to investigate the October 7 disaster,” the party said. “Nearly three years after the greatest disaster in the country’s history, uncovering the truth, determining responsibility, and drawing lessons are essential for recovery, reform, and preventing the next disaster.”

Eisenkot praised Hogeg’s decision to join the party, describing him as an example of citizens who took responsibility following October 7 and chose to act.

“Shirel is a symbol of the citizens who rose up on October 7, took responsibility, and decided to act to help lead Israel toward recovery and reform,” Eisenkot said. “He is a clear and powerful voice calling for a state commission of inquiry. Shirel is an Israeli success story and a model of leadership—a leader who came up from the grassroots, understands Israeli society, and brings managerial experience, executive ability, and deep faith in the country and its people.”

Eisenkot also emphasized the importance of improving government services as part of Israel’s recovery and rebuilding public trust in state institutions.

“Improving government services for citizens is a necessary condition for rehabilitating the State of Israel and restoring public trust in government—a trust that was severely damaged on October 7, and even before that,” he said. “After years of political appointments, the weakening of oversight institutions, and damage to professionalism, we will restore excellence, professionalism, public responsibility, and the ability to deliver results to the civil service. I am pleased that Shirel is joining us and will lead this important mission.”

Hogeg said his decision to enter politics was motivated by the lessons of October 7 and his belief that the same sense of responsibility demonstrated by Israeli citizens during the crisis must be brought into the country’s public institutions.

“October 7 revealed to all of us the depth of the failure and the price we pay when state systems do not function properly,” Hogeg said. “But it also demonstrated the tremendous strength of Israeli society and of people who rise up, take responsibility, and act for the good of the country. I decided to join Gadi Eisenkot and Yashar! because I believe it is time to bring that same spirit of responsibility, professionalism, and action into the state institutions.”

“After years of neglect and of placing political considerations ahead of national interests, we need to build an excellent public service—professional, independent, and free from extraneous considerations—that understands the citizen is not a burden but the reason for its existence,” he continued.

“In the coming weeks, I will present the program I will lead as part of Yashar!—a program designed to bring Israeli excellence, innovation, and entrepreneurship into government ministries, improve decision-making, and help build a more efficient, advanced, and service-oriented state for every citizen, everywhere.

“As someone who has worked in both the business and civic spheres, I am well aware of the gap between government decisions and what ultimately reaches citizens. This is a situation that must change. The citizen must be at the center of government activity, and decisions must be translated into action on the ground.”