Israel's Political System - Council on Foreign Relations Council on Foreign Relations Authors: Eben Kaplan, and Caroline Friedman Updated: February 11, 2009 The 2009 Election The Knesset Seats in Israel's legislative assembly, the Knesset , are assigned through a system of nationwide proportional representation: Rather than electing individual candidates, voters cast ballots for an entire party. Any party receiving more than 2 percent of the vote is assigned a proportional number of seats in the 120-member legislature. Prior to the general election, each party holds an internal election to decide on a list of representatives to occupy any seats the party should win. If, for instance, a party wins ten seats, the first ten names on the slate will become members of the new Knesset. Each Knesset is expected to serve a four-year term. However, if a majority of the representatives agree, they may elect to dissolve the body and hold early elections. The legislature's tenure may also be prolonged beyond four years, though this requires a "special majority" of eighty votes. The Knesset elects the prime minister, and also holds the power to remove the president. New laws require a simple majority vote.

Share Post Email The prime minister is elected by the Knesset. A prime-ministerial candidate must be a member of the Knesset and needs a simply majority of votes to be confirmed. Prime ministers are expected to serve four-year terms, though these may be shortened by a vote of no confidence in the Knesset. Such votes name a replacement candidate, who is given the opportunity to form his or her own government. To form a new government, a prospective prime minister has forty-five days to fill cabinet positions and win Knesset approval. Since no single party has ever won a majority of the seats in the Knesset, this requires forming a coalition with other parties in order to win majority approval. After parliamentary elections, the president invites one of the party leaders to form a government. The president does not have to extend this invitation to the party that controls the most seats in the Knesset, rather, the invitation goes to the party the president believes is most capable of forming a coalition. In forming a coalition, a party leader must offer some cabinet positions to members of the smaller coalition partners, as smaller parties often represent the additional votes needed to pass legislation. These smaller parties tend to use this influence to further their political agendas.

If a replacement candidate is unsuccessful at forming a new government, the Knesset is dissolved and new elections are held. Electoral Reform Because forming a coalition involves smaller parties, it often means that groups at the periphery of Israeli politics acquire disproportionate influence. For this reason, some experts, including CFR Senior Fellow Steven A. Cook , suggest that Israel needs to reform its electoral system by raising the threshold for a party to gain representation in the Knesset. Currently, a party only needs to obtain 2 percent of the vote. This percentage is relatively very low (Turkey's threshold, for instance, is 10 percent). Yet prime ministers must cobble together coalitions that number sixty seats, making them vulnerable to the demands of fringe groups. This can lead to policy stalemate and a majority beholden to much smaller political movements. Significant concessions, such as cabinet appointments or budgetary appropriations, are sometimes made to secure coalition support of policies. This creates a system where small, perhaps extreme, parties wield a disproportionate amount of influence. Political Parties Israel's major parties are Kadima, Likud, Yisrael Beytenu, and Labor. Eight other parties are also represented in the legislature. The largest parties are: Kadima (Twenty-eight seats).

Formed by then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on November 21, 2005, Kadima, or "Forward", seeks to find middle ground in the contentious Israeli political arena. A week after its formation, the party revealed its platform: maintaining a Jewish majority in Israel by making territorial concessions; preserving Israeli control of Jerusalem and large Jewish settlement blocs; and supporting the formation of a demilitarized, terror-free Palestinian state. Many prominent politicians left their parties to join Kadima, including former Labor Party leader Shimon Peres , then Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz , and cabinet minister Tzipi Livni. Kadima appeared to be in jeopardy when on January 4, 2006, Sharon suffered a stroke that effectively ended his political career. Sharon's deputy, Ehud Olmert , took the party reins, and helped Kadima win twenty-nine seats in 2006. In 2008, Olmert was implicated in a financial scandal that resulted in his resignation. Then-Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni assumed leadership with the party's future in question. Likud (Twenty-seven seats).

Following the 2005 controversial withdrawal from all Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in the West Bank, the center-right Likud Party faced a crisis. The decision to evacuate the Jewish settlements, which Likud traditionally views as the country's "unassailable right" to return to the historic "Land of Israel," caused a rift within the party. Likud has maintained a hard line in dealing with Palestinians, directly targeting terrorist leaders and opposing Palestinian statehood. But more recent statements from party leaders suggest a willingness to negotiate on the question of a Palestinian state. Many in the party feared the Gaza pullout would lead to attacks against Israel by Palestinian militants. Playing off these fears, Benjamin Netanyahu , a former prime minister and finance minister, mounted a challenge to then Prime Minister Sharon's party leadership. Rather than face Netanyahu in a party primary, Sharon split with Likud--which he helped found--and formed the centrist Kadima party. Likud did not fare well in the 2006 election, losing more than half its seats, though it rebounded with a strong showing in the 2009 elections. Yisrael Beytenu (Fifteen seats).

Founded in 1999 by former Likud member Avigdor Liberman , Yisrael Beytenu, meaning "Israel, our home," is a secular, right-of-center Zionist party. The party advocates a hard line toward the Palestinian Authority and Arab states and has even proposed forcing Israeli Arabs to pledge loyalty to Israel or forfeit their citizenship. Nevertheless, the party supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israeli Labor Party (ILP) (Thirteen seats). Prior to the 2006 election, the center-left ILP was a major opposition party in Israel. The party was led by Peres, until his leadership was upset in a November 8, 2005, party primary by Amir Peretz . Peres then quit Labor and joined Sharon's Kadima. The ILP, which once dominated Israeli politics--appointing every prime minister prior to 1977 when Likud's Menachem Begin was elected--remains a major player, though it hasn't had a prime minister since Ehud Barak stepped down in 2001, and lost a third of its Knesset seats in the 2009 vote.

Unlike Likud, ILP members support negotiations with Palestinian groups and withdrawal from the settlements in Gaza and the West Bank. In December 2004, the ILP aligned with Likud in order to implement Israel's disengagement plan . After the 2006 vote, ILP aligned with Kadima to form a government. Labor has an agreement with small Zionist party Meimad, whereby that party gets the tenth seat on Labor's list. Labor has become increasingly centrist, no longer supporting Socialist ideals, though it still prioritizes socioeconomic issues. Several of the ILP's leaders left to join Kadima. Shas (Eleven seats). As its primary platform goals, Shas--a non-secular ultra-Orthodox minority party with waning Knesset influence--supports a more prominent role for religion within the Israeli state. Party leaders have remained fairly flexible on policies toward Palestinians, a stance that often enables them to affect the balance of power in the Knesset. In 2006, Shas agreed to join the Kadima-Labor ruling coalition with the stipulation that it did not have to support a further withdrawal from the West Bank settlements.

The 2009 Election When Tzipi Livni assumed leadership of Kadima in late 2008, she proved unable to form a coalition. As a result, the next national election, which was due to take place in 2010, was held in February 2009. Livni's Kadima and Netanyahu's Likud Party won nearly the same number of seats, raising questions of who would lead the next ruling coalition. Shas and Yisrael Beytenu could play the role of kingmaker. Both aligned with the Kadima-Labor coalition in 2006, but when Livni assumed her party's leadership in 2008, Shas made new demands for increased social welfare and the territorial preservation of Jerusalem. Livni rejected the deal, saying "I'm not willing to be blackmailed, either diplomatically or in terms of the budget, and therefore, I will go to elections." With Likud, Yisrael Beytenu, Shas, and and other nationalist parties winning a total of sixty-five seats in those elections, Livni's Kadima party could find itself on the outside of the next ruling coalition.

Netanyahu says he will refuse to negotiate on Jerusalem or the right of return for Palestinian refugees. He has also played up the threat posed by Iran and suggested that the threats posed by Hezbollah and Hamas would be reduced were the Iranian regime "neutralized." The candidates sparred mostly over the necessity for territorial concession: Livni believes territorial sacrifices might be necessary to ensure peace; Netanyahu refuses to entertain the idea of evacuating any more settlements or withdrawing from the West Bank. However, Netanyahu begrudgingly followed parts of the Oslo Accords when he was prime minister in the late 1990s by pulling Israeli forces out of Hebron and signing the Wye River Memorandum with then Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat. Highlights From 2015–2016 Learn more about CFR’s mission and its work over the past year in the 2016 Annual Report . The Annual Report spotlights new initiatives, high-profile events, and authoritative scholarship from CFR experts, and includes a message from CFR President Richard N. Haass.

Read and download » The Chronicle The Fall 2016 issue of CFR's member newsletter, the Chronicle, is a guide to CFR's most important news since August 2016, and includes announcements about new programs, partnerships, fellows, meetings, publications, and members. Read it now. Now Available: Foreign Policy Begins at Home The biggest threat to America's security and prosperity comes not from abroad but from within, writes CFR President Richard N. Haass in his provocative new book. More New Foreign Affairs eBook: Tiananmen and After BBC NEWS | Middle East | Israeli political parties Printable version Israeli political parties Thirty parties contested Israel's 28 March general election, which saw the lowest-ever turnout in Israeli history. The BBC News website takes a look at those who took part. Kadima Kadima was founded by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in November 2005. The party, which had been tipped for a landslide win, snatched a narrow election victory taking 29 Knesset seats despite the absence of Mr Sharon, who has been in a coma after suffering a massive stroke on 4 January.

It is the latest in a series of so far unsuccessful attempts to create a centrist party to unite moderates from the right-wing Likud party and centre-left Labour. The party has a programme based on a partial disengagement from the occupied territories, a free-market economy with adequate welfare support, reform of the party-based parliamentary system, and a reduction of the influence of Jewish Orthodox religious groups. The last such attempt, Shinnui (Change), performed well in the 2003 parliamentary elections, but failed to appeal beyond its middle-class core constituency and has since fragmented. Kadima, on the other hand, is also able to appeal to the working class through its former Labour connections and to the disadvantaged Mizrachi (North African) Jewish community through its Likud roots. The core of the party, and that of its electoral support, comes from the centrist wing of Likud and personal Sharon loyalists. Prominent among these are Finance Minister and acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni.

Labour The centre-left Labour Party, which has been one of Israel's two dominant parties since the founding of the state in 1948, came runner up in the election with 19 seats, making it almost certainly a partner in the new governing coalition. The result was seen as a minor triumph for the party, which suffered its worst-ever electoral defeat in the 2003 elections. Frustration with the leadership of Shimon Peres, who largely backed Mr Sharon's economic austerity programme and unilateral approach to security issues, saw the election of left-wing trade unionist Amir Peretz to the party leadership in November 2005. Mr Peretz, the first Mizrachi Jew to lead a major party, has put social and economic issues at the head of Labour's agenda and advocates a social democratic policy of increases in the minimum wage and welfare payments. Labour, which is keen to restart peace negotiations with the Palestinians, is largely expected to support Mr Olmert's plans for further withdrawals from the occupied West Bank. Likud The right-wing Likud (Consolidation) suffered an unmitigated disaster during the elections, which saw the former ruling party taking only 12 of the 120 Knesset seats.

It also dealt a humiliating blow to its hawkish leader, the former premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who had sought to take the party back to its roots by basing its campaign on a hardline approach to security issues and a free-market economy. Mr Netanyahu's popularity also suffered among the party's core voters, who resented his austerity programme while serving as finance minister under Mr Sharon. The settler movement also views him warily. His strategy focused on portraying the victory of the militant group Hamas in January's Palestinian legislative elections as a result of Israel's unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. He also listed the rise of Hamas as a reason not to carry out any further withdrawals from the West Bank or consider a Palestinian state. Back to top Shas Shas (the Association of Torah-Observant Sephardis) was set up in 1984 by the former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Ovadia Yosef, primarily to promote the interests of his Mizrachi ultra-Orthodox constituency. The ultra-Orthodox party came joint third in the general election, also taking 12 seats after running an aggressive campaign that targeted the neo-conservative economic policies of the previous government.

National Union-National Religious Party The National Union, which won nine parliamentary seats, is on the far-right of Israeli politics. Its programme calls for the "voluntary transfer" of Palestinians to Jordan prior to full Israeli annexation of the West Bank, but this is generally regarded as little more than rhetoric. In practice, it is the political wing of the settler movement. In February, it formed an electoral alliance with the National Religious Party. The National Religious Party, once the voice of mainstream religious Zionism, has recently become the Orthodox Jewish mirror of the National Union among settlers. Israel Beitenu Israel Beitenu (Israel is Our Home) has a constituency among the overwhelmingly secular, largely unassimilated and generally hawkish Russian-speaking population. It became the fifth-largest parliamentary faction following the general elections, winning 11 seats after more than half of the country's Russian immigrants voted for it. It used to operate as part of the National Union, but split over the latter's brief role in one of Mr Sharon's coalition governments and decided to contest the 2006 elections separately.

Its programme differs from that of the National Union in that it has been prepared since 2005 to transfer parts of Israel with large Arab populations to the Palestinian Authority in return for the Israeli annexation of large parts of the occupied territories. Despite its hawkish stance, party leader Avigdor Lieberman has not ruled out negotiations to enter a coalition government with the centrist Kadima party. Meretz-Yachad Meretz-Yachad (Vitality-Together) is the main party of the radical left, and is largely regarded as the political wing of the once-influential Peace Now movement. Its platform calls for an Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 cease-fire line and a revival of the defunct Oslo peace accord. It follows a broadly social-democratic economic agenda. It was formed in December 2003 as a merger of several other left-wing parties, most prominent among which was Merits. Public support for the disengagement strategy has pressed Meretz-Yachad from one side, and Labour's new-found social-democratic agenda is pushing it from the other.

Following a steady poll rating of 5-6 seats, the party, which has a core constituency of idealistic middle-class liberals, secured five seats in the election. Shinnui Shinnui (Change) had been the standard-bearer of liberal economic policy and secular values for 30 years, in various forms and combinations. It achieved electoral breakthrough at the 2003 elections thanks to the strident campaigning of its new leader, TV political host Yosef "Tommy" Lapid, winning 15 seats and becoming the third largest party as well as Mr Sharon's main coalition partner. But the formation of Kadima robbed Shinnui of its natural constituency, and in January the party split into small factions, none of which managed to overcome the 2% threshold needed to enter the Knesset. United Torah Judaism Formed in 1992 as an alliance between two Ashkenazi ultra-orthodox groups, United Torah Judaism split in 2004 over the question of joining Mr Sharon's coalition government. But the two former constituent factions - Flag of the Torah and Union of Israel - were reunited this time round and ran on a single ticket, winning six parliamentary seats.

They generally act in concert with Shas in defence of ultra-orthodox educational institutions and state benefits. Pensioners' List The newly-formed Pensioners' List, (or Gil in Hebrew, meaning "Israeli pensioners for parliament") was catapulted to the centre-stage of Israel politics after winning a shock seven seats in the election. Set up just weeks before the election, the party is led by Rafi Eitan, a 79-year-old former spy who won notoriety for masterminding the capture of the Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in 1960. He was also the handler of Jonathan Pollard, an Israeli spy jailed for life in the United States on charges of espionage. The party's surprise win came after it campaigned on a single-issue platform of radical improvements for the state's 750,000 pensioners, including a guaranteed pension for all as well as subsidised medical costs for the elderly. Although the Pensioners' political outlook is not clear, its core constituency is made up of former Labour supporters, meaning the faction may well be a likely coalition partner for Kadima, as it would be prepared to back its plans to evacuate thousands of Jewish settlers from the West Bank.

Arab parties Arab Israelis make up almost 20% of Israel's population. They vote both for mainstream Israeli parties, including Labour, Likud and Meretz-Yachad, and for specifically Arab and/or anti-Zionist parties like the left-wing Hadash, the nationalist Balad and the United Arab List. Support for the Arab factions has remained steady, with the parties winning 10 Knesset seats in the election, almost the same number at in the 2003 ballot.

The following parties also contested the elections but none passed the threshold to win parliamentary seats: Brit Olam: aims to create dialogue between all cultures in Israeli society Da-am: Arab-Jewish workers' party Green Leaf: wants the legalisation of marijuana The Greens: environmentalists Halev: Hebrew acronym for "Party for the Struggle with the Banks" Herut: Hebrew for freedom; right-wing, opposed to any territorial concessions Hetz: Breakaway secular party formed by former Shinnui members favouring the separation of religion and state LEHEM: Hebrew acronym for "United Fighters for Society", promotes rights of disabled, homeless, single parent families Lev la'olim: focuses on immigrant issues Lider: Hebrew acronym for Liberal Democratic Party National Jewish Front: right-wing New Zionism: socioeconomic agenda for rights of self-employed, Holocaust survivors One Future: focuses on Ethiopian immigrant issues Strength for the Poor: social justice agenda Tafnit: Hebrew for turning point; set up by former deputy chief of staff Uzi Dayan on an anti-corruption platform Tzedeq Lakol: means "Justice for All" in English Tzomet: right wing, secular Ynetnews News - Kadima beats Likud in new poll comment Kadima beats Likud in new poll

 Dahaf-Yedioth Ahronoth survey published Monday morning points to close race, as Livni takes the lead with 29 Knesset seats, Netanyahu follows with 26 seats.

Labor plummets to 11 seats, while Shas may lose power Ynet|Published: 27.10.08 , 07:27 Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni appears to be enjoying the fruit of her declaration that she will not give in to extortion. A new Yedioth Ahronoth survey conducted by the Dahaf Institute and published Monday morning showed that had the Knesset elections taken place today, Livni would have led Kadima to victory with 29 Knesset seats, the same number of mandates it currently has. The race, however, is very close, as the Likud headed by Opposition Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu follows with 26 Knesset seats, compared to only 12 seats in the previous elections. Eitan Haber Instead of joining forces in face of grave threats, Livni, Barak, and Bibi led by their ego The Labor Party headed by Defense Minister Ehud Barak plummets to only 11 Knesset seats, compared to the 19 it has today. The survey was held Sunday among 500 people who constitute a representative sample of Israel's adult population.

The poll has a margin of error of 4.5%. Even before she was elected to lead Kadima, polls showed that Livni was the only candidate in her party capable of beating Netanyahu. It appears that Shas may regret the fact that it chose to reject Livni's offers in the coalition talks. According to the new survey, the haredi party drops to 11 Knesset seats (compared to the 12 it has today). In such a situation, its bargaining power will weaken. The Pensioners Party, which has seven Knesset members today, may not even pass the threshold needed to enter the Israeli parliament, with only two seats according to the new poll. The Green Party is in a similar situation. Meretz grows stronger, from five seats it has today to six it receives in the poll. United Torah Judaism receives seven seats – one mandate more than it has today. According to the poll, Yisrael Beiteinu headed by Knesset Member Avigdor Lieberman will drop to nine Knesset seats from the 11 it has today.

The Arab parties will remain with 10 Knesset members, while National Union-National Religious Party loses two seats – from the nine it has today to seven in the survey. Preparing for elections Israel's political parties have already begun to prepare for a probable nationwide election, after Kadima Chairwoman Livni informed President Shimon Peres on Sunday that she had been unsuccessful in forming a new coalition government. Following her interview with the president, Livni gave a short public speech . "I was prepared to pay a price for the formation of a new government, but up until the last minute I was not prepared to risk Israel's financial and political future," she said, hinting at Shas' demands, which Kadima claims were excessive. She added, "I made the decision to cooperate with certain partners because I believe that compromise is necessary in such a polarized country. I decided to grant needy families financial assistance because I believe the government is responsible for supplying social needs when they are not narrow, sectarian needs." "I believe a prime minister is chosen first and foremost in order to promote the interests of the state, and anyone who is willing to auction off his ideals for a seat is not worthy of sitting in it," she concluded.

Following the interview with Peres, Kadima announced that it would propose a bill shortening the waiting period for the elections. MK Yoel Hasson has declared he will initiate the bill, calling for the holding of a general election within 90 days of the bill's proposal, rather than 111, which could be the case if the Knesset does not dissolve itself immediately. The Labor Party has yet to decide on how it will determine its list of Knesset members ahead of the vote. Chairman Ehud Barak has expressed interest in securing a number of newcomers with a high ranking spot that would guarantee them a place in the next Knesset, and therefore may opt for canceling the party primaries and formulating the roster with the help of a special committee. Senior Labor party officials are divided on the issue, and Barak is expected to face stiff opposition should he call to annul the primary elections. Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu has also begun consultations on preparing the party for the general elections, with senior officials postulating that the party primaries will be held in December.

Netanyahu is also in favor of securing several high ranking spots for MKs of his choice on the party's Knesset roster, but most party members would likely oppose such a move. Netanyahu is reportedly interested in recruiting a number of senior public figures ahead of the elections, including former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon and former Likud minister Dan Meridor. Political Parties - Fanack Chronicle Political Parties October 28th, 2013 / December 12th, 2016 Political Parties The current nineteenth Knesset , elected on 22 January 2013, is made up of twelve political parties. A number of new political parties were founded ahead of the 2013 elections . Yesh Atid (There is a Future) was founded by former anchor man Yair Lapid. The party aims to fight corruption, improve the middle class’ economic position and mandate that all Israelis perform national service. Former Kadima leader and former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni established HaTnua (The Movement) as a diplomatic alternative to Netanyahu’s Likud .

The ultra-nationalist HaBayit HaYehudi (The Jewish Home), led by Naftali Bennett, gave Likud a run for its votes.

In order of number of seats the nineteenth Knesset is composed of: Likud (Consolidation)/ Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) (right-wing/extreme-right wing, Zionist, 31 seats out of a total of 120 Knesset seats, 20 of which went to Likud; the remaining 11 went to Yisrael Beiteinu); Yesh Atid (centrist, Zionist, 19 seats); Israeli Labour Party (or HaAvoda, centrist, Zionist 15 seats); HaBayit HaYehudi (extreme-right wing, Zionist, 12 seats); Shas (Sfarad’s Guards [of the Torah], Sephardic ultra-Orthodox, 11 seats); United Torah Judaism (Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox, Zionist, 7 seats); HaTnua (right wing, Zionist, 6 seats); Meretz (Energy, centre-left, Zionist, 6 seats); Hadash (New, left wing, non-Zionist, 4 seats); United Arab List (or Ra’am-Ta’al)/ Arab Movement for Renewal (Palestinian, non-Zionist, 4

 seats); Balad (the Land; Palestinian, non-Zionist, 3 seats); and Kadima (Forward, right wing, Zionist, 2 seats).

A range of other parties did not succeed in passing the threshold. Voter turnout was 67.8 percent (64.7 percent in 2009); among Israeli Palestinians it was 56 percent (53.4 percent in 2009), according to the Central Elections Committee (election results). On 14 March 2013 a coalition government was formed, made up of Likud/Yisrael Beiteinu, Yesh Atid, HaBayit HaYehudi and HaTnua, which between them held 68 seats out of a total of 120 Knesset seats. Four days later it won a vote of confidence in the Knesset and was sworn in later that day. Benjamin Netanyahu , the leader of Likud, remained Prime Minister . Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) resigned as Minister of Foreign Affairs due to corruption charges in December 2012. Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) became Minister of Finance , while Naftali Bennett (HaBayit HaYehudi) was appointed as Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour , as well as Minister of Religious Services .

Tzipi Livni of HaTnua (The Movement) became Israel’s chief negotiator with the Palestinian National Authority. The Knesset in West Jerusalem Likud Likud (Consolidation) was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin as an alliance of a number of small right wing and liberal parties. Likud’s first success was its victory in the general elections of 1977, as a result of which Begin became the first non-socialist Prime Minister of Israel. In 2005, after a long political struggle with opponents within the party, and after Labour had left the governing coalition, the then leader of Likud, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, announced he would leave the party and would found a new centrist party under the name of Kadima.He was succeeded by Benjamin Netanyahu, who since 2009 holds the post of Prime Minister.

Yisrael Beiteinu Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) was founded in 1999 by Avigdor Lieberman , former director-general of Likud, who left this party as a result of misgivings about concessions Prime Minister Netanyahu made to the Palestinian National Authority in 1997 in the so-called Wye River Memorandum . Yisrael Beiteinu is a nationalist party on the extreme right that essentially serves the interests of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, of whom more than 800,000 entered Israel in the 1990-1997 period. In the 2009 and 2013 elections the party joined Netanyahu’s coalition government. Yesh Atid Yesh Atid (There is a Future) was founded in 2012 by former anchor man Yair Lapid and functions as a political platform for the secular middle class. In the 2013 election, the party came out as the big winner. Yesh Atid advocates among others economic and educational reform, the drafting of all Israelis in the Armed Forces (i.e.

including yeshiva students), instituting civil marriage, and a fight against corruption. In 2013 it joined Netanyahu’s coalition government. Israeli Labour Party Israeli Labour Party (HaAvoda). From the foundation of the State of Israel until the 1970s the Israeli Labour Party (formerly called Mapai, or Land of Israel Workers’ Party) was the major political force in the country. Mapai was founded in 1930. One of the founding fathers was David Ben-Gurion, the de facto leader of the Jewish community (or Yishuv) in Palestine before 1948 and the country’s Prime Minister (with one two-year interruption) from 1948 until 1963. In 1968, Mapai merged with two smaller leftist parties in the Israeli Labour Party. Until its defeat in the 1977 general elections, all Israeli Prime Ministers were members of Mapai and later of Labour. Afterwards the party returned as junior partner in several coalition governments. The current party leader is Shelly Yachimovich.

HaBayit HaYehudi HaBayit HaYehudi (The Jewish Home), which shortly before the 2013 general election merged with the like minded Tkuma (Resurrection) party, is an extreme-right wing, ultra-nationalist, religious Zionist party and can be regarded as the mouthpiece of the organized settler movement. In 2013 it joined Netanyahu’s coalition government. Shas Shas (also known as The Worldwide Sephardic Association of Torah Guardians) is a conservative religious party that was formed in 1984 as an alliance of several small religious political parties. One of the founders was Rabbi Ovada Yosef, a former Chief Rabbi of Israel. Shas strongly advocates the strict application of the Halacha, the Jewish laws originating from the Torah, the Five Books of Moses. The party is led by Aryeh Deri. Electoral Law The electoral system in Israel is based on nation-wide proportional representation: the number of seats that each list receives in the Knesset is proportional to the number of votes. A party has to pass the qualifying threshold, which is currently 2 percent. Until the elections of 1992 the qualifying threshold was only 1 percent.

The election system was inherited from the rigid system of proportional representation of the Yishuv, the organized Jewish community in Palestine before and during the British Mandate . The justification given for the large number of parties resulting from the system was that ‘in a period in which major, far-reaching and rapid changes were still taking place in the population make-up as a result of immigration, it was important to enable maximal representation for various groups and opinions’. (See Electoral System in Israel , Israeli government website) The electoral system is based primarily on two laws: the Basic Law on the Knesset of 1958 and the Knesset Elections Law of 1969. The Knesset elections are supposed to take place once every four years. The Knesset can decide, by simple majority, to dissolve itself and call for early elections. Since the Parties Law of 1992, a party has to be legally registered with the Party Registrar in order to participate in the elections. A list which acts against ‘the existence of Israel as the state of the Jewish people’ or against its democratic nature, a list which incites racism, or a list which ‘supports the armed struggle of a terrorist organization against Israel’ cannot run in the elections.

Suffrage is universal among Israeli citizens of 18 years and older, but compulsory voting does not exist. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to the members of the Knesset Photo Shutterstock Copyright 2006 - 2017 Fanack | All Rights Reserved Top 9 English-Language Israeli Newspapers Online Since 2005, Ynetnews has provided those interested in Israel with the same authoritative, fast, and world-class news reporting and commentary Hebrew-speakers receive from “Yedioth Ahronoth,” Israel’s most-read newspaper, and Ynet , the newspaper's Hebrew-language online news site. More » JPost.com 2. JPost.com As The Jerusalem Post's online portal, JPost.com is a primary source of information about Israel, Jewish affairs and developments in the Middle East. Providing editions in French and English, it is one of the most well-read English-language Israeli newspapers online today. The newspaper itself was preceded by The Palestine Post, founded in 1932, and the name changed in 1950 to The Jerusalem Post.

Although the newspaper was once regarded as left wing, it went right in the 1980s, and the current editor is attempting a centrist position on Israel, the Middle East, and the Jewish world at large. The site also features countless blogs by major players from the international Jewish community. More » User Hmbr/WikiCommons 3. Ha'aretz Ha'aretz (Hadashot Ha'aretz or חדשות הארץ or "News of the Land of Israel") is an independent daily newspaper with a broadly liberal outlook both on domestic issues and international affairs. Ha'aretz began publishing as a British-sponsored newspaper in 1918 in both English and Hebrew, making it the country's oldest consistently operating newspaper. Today, both English and Hebrew editions are available online. More » 4. JTA.org JTA (Jewish Telegraph Agency) is an international news service that provides up-to-the-minute reports, analysis pieces and features on events and issues of concern to the Jewish people. The news outlet prides itself on being unaffiliated and not leaning in any particular direction.

“We respect the many Jewish and Israel advocacy organizations out there, but JTA has a different mission — to provide readers and clients with balanced and dependable reporting,” wrote JTA editor-in-chief and CEO and publisher Ami Eden. JTA was originally founded in 1917 in The Hague. It then moved to London in 1919 and finally it established itself in New York City in 1922, where it is based today. For Israel-specific news, click here . More » State of Israel MFA's site provides information about Israel, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the Middle East Peace Process. More » IDF 6. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) The official Internet site of the Israeli Defense Forces offers current information about Israel's military operations in a variety of places online. You can find text-based, newspaper-style articles on their main website in English , but you an also find a lot of really great news and content coming out of some of their social media channels, including The site also says , HonestReporting monitors the news for bias, inaccuracy, or other breach of journalistic standards in coverage of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It also facilitates accurate reporting for foreign journalists covering the region.

HonestReporting is not aligned with any government or political party or movement. ... HonestReporting’s work serves the public interest by fighting misinformation, such as computer manipulations of images that give people a false impression of the conflict. At the same time, it provides agenda-free services to reporters, including translation services and access to news makers to enable them to provide a fuller picture of the situation. Kadima : definition of Kadima and synonyms of Kadima (English) Elections Kadima ( Hebrew : קדימה‎, lit. Forward) is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel . It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon 's unilateral disengagement plan , [1] and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians. [2] With Ehud Olmert as party chairman following Sharon's stroke, it became the largest party in the Knesset after the 2006 elections , winning 29 of the 120 seats, and led a coalition government.

Although Kadima also won the most seats in the 2009 elections under Tzipi Livni 's leadership, it became an opposition party for the first time after a Likud-led government was formed. On May 8, 2012, the party joined the governing coalition under Benjamin Netanyahu , [3] but later left the government on July 17, 2012. [4] Contents History Background Prior to Kadima's formation, the political tug-of-war between Ariel Sharon and his right-wing supporters, both within the Likud and outside of it, was an on-going subject of speculation in Israeli politics and in the Israeli media. The expectation that Sharon would quit his own party to form a new party composed of his Likud allies and open the door to politicians from other parties to switch to the new party was dubbed the "big bang" (HaMapatz HaGadol) because it would result in a radical realignment of Israel's political landscape. A number of complex factors contributed to Sharon's decision to split from the Likud.

After the official split from the party, Sharon claimed it was a decision made on a single night's thought, but at the press conference announcing the formation of the new party, Sharon adviser and Kadima's new Director General, Avigdor Yitzhaki, accidentally revealed that work on the project had been going on for several months. [5] In the past Sharon had switched between left- and right-wing politics, having been a Mapai member, he joined Likud in the early 1970s, before leaving the party. After acting as a special advisor to Alignment PM Yitzhak Rabin in the mid 1970s, he established an economically left-wing Shlomtzion party, which later merged with Likud. On becoming Prime Minister in the 2000s, Sharon twice formed unity governments with the Labor Party. In 2005 the implementation of the Gaza disengagement plan exposed enormous rifts inside the Likud and wider society in Israel. Binyamin Netanyahu capitalised on the split within the Likud by aligning himself with the rejectionist faction. While Sharon's popularity grew among the Israeli populace at large, it declined inside the Likud party structure.

Netanyahu resigned as Finance Minister on 7 August 2005, saying the government's implementation of the disengagement plan endangered the safety of Israeli citizens. Sharon was then unable to get approval from the Likud Central Committee for his key ally Ehud Olmert to that position. The final straw was the unexpected ousting of Sharon's ally Shimon Peres as leader of the Labor Party by the election of left-wing Histadrut union leader Amir Peretz in an internal ballot on 8 November 2005. Peretz demanded that all Labor Party ministers resign from the unity government and called for dissolution of the Knesset and for early elections which were to be held in March 2006 .

When all the Labor ministers had resigned, Sharon lost his safety net of supporters from the party for the implementation of his political agenda, which included continuing negotiations with the Palestinian Authority for "permanent borders" and a hoped-for final resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict .[ citation needed ] Foundation The party was founded by Sharon after he formally left Likud on 21 November 2005 to establish a new party which would grant him the freedom to carry out the disengagement plan - removing Israeli settlements from Palestinian territory and fixing Israel's borders with a prospective Palestinian state. The name Kadima (literally: "Forward") emerged within the first days of the split and was favored by Sharon. However, it was not immediately adopted, and the party was initially named "National Responsibility" (Hebrew: אחריות לאומית, Ahrayaut Leumit), [6] which was proposed by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and enthusiastically endorsed by Reuven Adler , Sharon's close confidante and strategy adviser. Although "National Responsibility" was regarded as provisional, subsequent tests conducted with focus groups proved it much more popular than Kadima. "National Responsibility" seemed certain to become permanent.

Surprisingly, however, it was announced on 24 November 2005 that the party had finally registered under the name Kadima. The title Kadima has symbolic meaning for many Israelis who associate it with the battle-charge of army officers; Sharon may have attempted to highlight his military accomplishments ahead of the March 2006 elections. As a common Hebrew word, however, the term Kadima has been ubiquitous in Israeli political rhetoric and is likely not indicative of any specific ideological bias; indeed, it had been used as a name before by early Zionist leader Nathan Birnbaum , and was the motto of the Jewish Legion of World War I formed by Ze'ev Jabotinsky and Joseph Trumpeldor . The decision to name the party "Kadima" was criticised by Shinui leader Yosef Lapid , who remarked that it was too similar to Benito Mussolini 's newspaper Avanti (Italian for "Forward"). [7] Shimon Peres , former leader of the Labor Party, formally joined Kadima and before being elected President of Israel was in the second place in the Kadima Knesset list after the Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and before the Foreign and Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni.

According to Sharon supporters, on the first day after its founding, Kadima already had nearly 150 members, most of whom were defectors from Likud. [8] Several Knesset members from Labour, Likud, and other parties immediately joined the new party, including cabinet ministers Ehud Olmert , Tzipi Livni , Meir Sheetrit , Gideon Ezra and Avraham Hirschson . Deputy ministers Ruhama Avraham , Majalli Wahabi , Eli Aflalo , Marina Solodkin , Ze'ev Boim and Yaakov Edri also joined the party, along with Likud MKs Roni Bar-On and Omri Sharon . Former Histadrut chairman Haim Ramon of Labour decided to join the party shortly thereafter. On 30 November 2005, Shimon Peres quit Labour after more than 60 years with the party, and announced he would help Sharon pursue peace with the Palestinians. In the immediate aftermath of the illnesses of Ariel Sharon , there was speculation that Peres might be chosen to take over as leader of Kadima.

One poll suggested the party would win 42 seats in the March 2006 elections with Peres as leader compared to 40 if it were led by Ehud Olmert. Most senior Kadima leaders, however, were former members of Likud and indicated their support for (former Likud) Olmert as Sharon's successor. Doubts following Sharon's medical problems The ramifications of Sharon's close identification with Kadima moved the party in an unexpected direction due to his mounting medical problems, which began only a few weeks after Kadima was formed. First, Sharon was hospitalized on 18 December 2005 after reportedly suffering a minor stroke . [9] This introduced a serious element of uncertainty for Sharon's and Kadima's supporters. During his hospital stay, Sharon was also diagnosed with a minor hole in his heart and was scheduled to undergo a cardiac catheterization to fill the hole in his atrial septum on January 5, 2006.

However, on 4 January 2006, 22:50 Israel Time (GMT +0200) Sharon suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke , and was evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem to undergo brain surgery. Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert succeeded him as Prime Ministerial candidate. Without Sharon, there was uncertainty about the future of the party. Nevertheless, three polls taken shortly after Sharon's illness showed that Kadima continued to lead its rivals by large margins. [10] Later polls showed Kadima strengthening its power base further, particularly amongst left wing voters who had opposed Sharon in the past. In government On 16 January 2006, party members chose Ehud Olmert as acting chairman for the March elections . [11] Kadima won 29 seats, and was asked to form a government by president Moshe Katsav . Olmert formed a coalition with Labor, Shas and Gil , the government being sworn in on 4 May. Yisrael Beiteinu joined the coalition in October 2006, but left again in January 2008 in protest at negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.

Olmert resigned as party leader in 2008, resulting in a leadership election , held on 17 September. The vote was won by Tzipi Livni , who beat Shaul Mofaz , Meir Sheetrit and Avi Dichter . Following her victory, Livni failed to form a coalition government, as she refused to agree to Shas' demands, resulting in early elections in February 2009. In the elections Kadima remained the largest party in the Knesset, winning 28 seats, one more than Likud. However, Likud's Netanyahu was asked to form a government by President Peres following talks with delegations from all parties represented in the Knesset. Platform Israel's media reported that Kadima released the main points of its national agenda on 28 November 2005 as presented by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni in a drafted statement[ citation needed ]: The Israeli nation has a national and historic right to the whole of Israel. However, in order to maintain a Jewish majority, part of the Land of Israel must be given up to maintain a Jewish and democratic state. Israel shall remain a Jewish state and homeland.

Jewish majority in Israel will be preserved by territorial concessions to Palestinians . Jerusalem and large settlement blocks in the West Bank will be kept under Israeli control. The Israeli national agenda to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and achieve two states for two nations will be the road map . It will be carried out in stages: dismantling terror organizations, collecting firearms, implementing security reforms in the Palestinian Authority , and preventing incitement. At the end of the process, a demilitarized Palestinian state devoid of terror will be established. Israel's political system will be modified to ensure stability. One possibility to achieve this goal would be to hold primary, regional and personal elections to the Knesset and the Prime Minister 's office. Kadima would not rule out a future coalition partnership with any Israeli political party or person. promoting equality for minorities reform of police Political objectives and policies In the early stages, the policies of Kadima directly reflected the views of Ariel Sharon and his stated policies. Early statements from the Sharon camp reported by the Israeli media claimed that they were setting up a truly "centrist" and "liberal" party.

It would appear that Sharon hoped to attract members of the Knesset from other parties and well-known politicians regardless of their prior beliefs provided they accepted Sharon's leadership and are willing to implement a "moderate" political agenda. It is known that Sharon believed strongly in the road map for peace and had a close alliance with then US President George W. Bush .[ citation needed ] On the domestic front, Sharon had shown a tendency to agree with his past political partner, the pro-secular and outspokenly anti-religious Shinui party (his allies in the 2003 government), which sought to promote a secular civil agenda as opposed to the strong influence of Israel's Orthodox and Haredi parties. One of the Haredi parties, United Torah Judaism , joined Sharon's last coalition at the same time as the Labour Party, after Shinui had left Sharon's original governing coalition. In the past, Shinui had also called itself a "centrist" party because it rejected both Labour's socialism (its economic policies were free-market ) and the Likud's opposition to a Palestinian state (however, from an international context, Shinui may have actually been on the centre-right).

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni reportedly told Israel Army Radio that Kadima intended to help foster the desire for a separate Palestinian state , a move which was applauded by leftist Yossi Beilin .[ citation needed ] Sharon was one of the prime architects pushing for the construction of the Israeli West Bank barrier that has been criticized by left-wing and right-wing Israeli politicians, but was a cornerstone of Sharon's determination to establish Israel's final borders, which he saw himself as uniquely suited to do in the so-called "Final Status" negotiations. In a 22 November 2005 press conference, Sharon also mentioned that he favored withdrawing from untenable Israeli settlements in the West Bank , although he declined to give an actual timeline or specifics for the proposed action. [12] Kadima favors continuing a market-based economy with adequate welfare benefits. [13] [14] Place in the political spectrum There has been some debate over where Kadima lies on the political spectrum. Many in the Western media use the terms centrist , [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] (in that it is positioned between the Labor Party and Likud).

Over the last thirty years, Israel has seen a movement by both the right and the left towards the center. Founder Ariel Sharon was for most of his life on the right of Israeli politics and most of its elected membership are former Likud party members, but it also has a number of notable ex-Labour MK's. The previous government of Ehud Olmert was considered center-leftist, collaborating with the Labor and two sector-socialist parties, Gil and Shas. Following the recent 2009 elections, with its subsequent political negotiations for a centerist coalition with the Likud and the Labor, it is suggested that the ideological differences of the center-left and center-right in Israel are fairly minor. When Kadima was trying to form a coalition in 2006, the BBC reported that the new party leaned center-right in economic terms while its main coalition partner, Labor, leaned center-left. Labour wanted the Finance Ministry to push through some costly social reforms. It failed to get it, but still insists that the minimum wage, and pension and health benefits, be raised in Israel.

At the time, Labor favored a negotiated land agreement with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas , and Kadima had so far refused to speak to any Palestinian leader since the Hamas election and has spoken openly of taking unilateral steps in the West Bank, which the Palestinians oppose. Since then, however, Kadima has directly negotiated with the Palestinian Authority. [21] Following the 2009 elections , Kadima lead the opposition in the Knesset. During the elections, Kadima successfully attracted left-of-center voters, to the dismay of Labor and Meretz leaders, who discouraged their supporters from doing so. [22] [23] Neither Labor nor Meretz, who were initially expected to be Kadima's natural allies, recommended Livni as prime minister to Peres, reportedly due to Livni's courting of Avigdor Lieberman 's Yisrael Beiteinu party. [24] [25] Shimon Peres told Ynet in 2006 that "there is no difference" between Kadima and Labor, and suggested that the two groups unite. He added that neither he nor Kadima founder Ariel Sharon liked the economic policy of Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu.

[26] The Haaretz diplomatic correspondent Aluf Benn suggested in November, 2009, that Kadima does not have any ideological differences with the Labor Party that would prevent a merger. [27] Leaders of Kadima IsraelVotes 2009 | Political Parties and Platforms Campaign Slogans: 1) The Courage to Change. 2) A Different leadership. Official Web Site: Key Points In Platform: Supports a negotiated peace process based entirely on the 'Road Map' Peace Plan, eventually leading to the creation of a Palestinian state as articulated at the Annapolis Peace Conference. However, will not negotiate with Hamas-led PA unless Hamas accepts Israel's right to exist, accepts past agreements between Israel and the Palestinians and ends all violence. No further unilateral withdrawals; although Israel reserves the right to unilaterally draw final borders if the Palestinians do not fulfill their obligations under the Road Map. Favors keeping the 'major settlement blocks' (Ariel, Gush Etzion and Ma'alei Adumim) within the final borders of Israel. Governmental reform to stem the power of Central Committees in Israeli political parties. Continue to pursue a moderate, market-based economy. Plans to introduce legislation to legalize civil marriage and burial.

What the critics are saying about Kadima: Kadima, led by Ehud Olmert, has achieved very little and may have actually resided over Israel's first military loss during a war. The Winograd Commission, that was designed to look into the war and its failings, was scathing in its criticism of Israel's leadership during the war. Olmert's popularity descended to an unprecedented single digit as he fought legal issues. Livni called for Olmert to resign but then retracted her call. Livni's close association with Olmert has tarnished her image. Labor Campaign Slogans: Look Me in the Eyes and See the Truth, Not Nice, a Leader Official Web Site: Willing to negotiate with the Palestinian Authority while remaining strong on security. In favor of the creation of a Palestinian state, while dismantling isolated settlements. Favours increasing the minimum wage, guaranteeing pensions to every employee, and increasing social security benefits for the elderly and the handicapped. Favors maintaining the religious status quo What the critics are saying about Labor: Few seem to be able to widely differentiate Labor's policies from Kadima's.

Since Barak's return to political leadership, he has not been able to stand out and many still resemble his previous leadership and the rumors about his arrogance and tempestuousness. Labor is also veering further away from its socialist origins as it is seen as backed by big-business tycoons and has achieved very little on the issues of welfare. Likud and Ahi Campaign Slogans: Because we have a country to run, Remaining strong together Official Web Site: � Key Points In Platform: Has stated willingness to negotiate peace with Palestinian leadership "not compromised by terror", but adamantly refuses to negotiate with Hamas and any member of the Hamas-led PA. In favor of a realistic solution to the advancement of the peace-process. This is accentuated by an economic peace-plan which will bolster the Palestinian economy. Opposed to dismantling of major settlements Continue economic reforms started by Netanyahu as Finance Minister Favors maintaining status quo in religious/state issues What the critics are saying about Likud: Likud has taken many newcomers to its list and it appears hard to tell where exactly they fall on the political spectrum.

While it has the likes of Dan Meridor and Uzi Dayan on the left of the party, it also has the likes of Moshe Yaalon and Benny Begin who are diametrically opposed. Critics have argued that Likud is running a specifically vague campaign so as not to accentuate the differences within the party. Other Political Parties Yisrael Beitenu-'Israel is our Home' Party Leader: Avigdor Liberman Official Website: � Key Points in Platform: A belief that the "land for peace approach" is fundamentally flawed � only a "land for land � peace for peace" approach, in which both parties compromise and commit to certain terms, can succeed. Strong security and anti-crime platform The desire to see Israel join NTAO and the EU Easing of conversions and the introduction of civil unions, while strengethening the Jewish nature of the state.

Shas Campaign Slogans: Yes, We Can Official Web Site: Sephardic religious movement, led by spiritual mentor Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Governmental policies should be based on strict Jewish law In the past, prepared to relinquish land in return for peace, but uncomfortable with this policy given increased terror Pragmatic approach to security based on the sanctity of life. Returning the higher social payments to large families and increase funding for the Yeshivas. Meretz and the New Movement Party Leader: Haim Oron Campaign Slogans: Doing what is good for Israel Official Web Site: Left-wing social democratic secular party Supports a just and comprehensive peace between Israel and its neighbors Has historically supported direct negotiations with the Palestinians and continues to do so in theory, however, concedes that direct negotiations with Hamas is ill-advised at this time.

Favors dismantling settlements and an almost full withdrawal from West Bank, with land swap for the remainder Supports state recognition of non-Orthodox conversions and acceptance of patrilineal descent as source of Jewishness Human, civil rights and social justice agenda Ecology and a safe environment agenda United Torah Judaism Official Web Site: TBD Key Points In Platform: Union of three Israeli Arab parties - United Arab Party (Ra'am), Arab National Party (Mada) and Islamic Movement Israel should become a state of all its inhabitants and not have overtly Jewish character The Arabs should be recognized as a national minority and be awarded rights accordingly Full Israeli withdrawal from West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem Establishment of Palestinian state with Jerusalem as capital Right of return for Palestinian refugees of 1948 National Union Party Leader: Ari Ariel, Aryeh Eldad Campaign Slogans: Not Afraid At All Official Web Site: Key Points In Platform: Left HaBayit Hayehudi because it didn't think the joint platform was not hard-line enough on the Greater Land of Israel issue Joined forces with the largely secular hard-line party HaTikva Against any withdrawals from any territory Against the creation of a Palestinian state.

Official Web Site: Key Points In Platform: Commitment to protecting pension rights, including housing, raising the amount of national health insurance and services for pensioners Politically centrist on security and negotiations with the Palestinians. The maintenance of traditional Jewish values and advancement of democratic values Meimad � Green Campaign Slogans: Choosing a different politics Official Web Site: Key Points In Platform: The party focuses primarily on environmental issues and promotes "politics of cooperation that will promote peace." Politically dovish and believes in a two-state solution based on the 'Green Line' The party backs train transportation as opposed to paving new roads. National Democratic Assembly (Balad) Israel: European Union and Washington want national unity government - World Socialist Web Site World Socialist Web Site Published by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) Israel: European Union and Washington want national unity government By Jean Shaoul and Chris Marsden 16 February 2009 The leaders of Israel's two largest political parties, Kadima and Likud, are coming under pressure from the European Union and the United States to form a national unity government and abandon attempts to form a coalition on their own, following last week's inconclusive election results.

The fractured nature of Israeli society gave the two largest parties, Kadima, led by Tzipi Livni, and Likud, led by Benyamin Netanyahu, a mere 44 percent of the vote. Irrespective of their labels, all Israel's parties are right wing on both military and economic policies. Even those who proclaim their willingness to reach a settlement with the Palestinians have become hawks: neither Labour nor Meretz used the word "peace" during the election campaign. Livni, who is ostensibly committed to some sort of agreement with the Palestinians, won the largest number of seats, 28, compared to Netanyahu's 27. But Netanyahu and the right wing command 65 seats of the 120-seat Knesset. Both parties are now engaged in negotiations with the smaller parties to secure a working coalition. This is likely to be a protracted process with an uncertain outcome. President Shimon Peres will be responsible for choosing either Netanyahu or Livni to put together a government. His choice will depend upon which of the two is more likely to gather sufficient support, and he or she will then have up to six weeks to form a coalition.

Netanyahu has by far the better chance of forming a coalition, but would need to include the far-right Yisrael Beitenu led by Avigdor Lieberman. This prospect has raised significant concern within ruling circles internationally because of its impact on their relations with the Arab regimes and the stability of the Middle East. For this reason, Javier Solana, European Union foreign policy chief, took the unprecedented step of urging Kadima and Likud to form a national unity government. He said a national unity government would benefit Middle East peace talks, but that a government led by Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu "would be more difficult." French President Nicolas Sarkozy, speaking in Kuwait as part of a visit to the Middle East, said he hoped Israel's new leadership would "have an obsession with peace...which is the guarantee of Israel's security." The United States has taken no public position on the eventual form of an Israeli government. State Department officials, however, fear that the emergence of an ultra-nationalist government in Israel will undercut Obama's efforts to calm tensions in the region, with his appointment of George Mitchell as special envoy to the Middle East, and his overtures to Iran and Syria. Netanyahu has stressed that he can work happily with Obama.

He told the Jerusalem Post, for example, that he met with Obama in Jerusalem and Washington on the question of Iran, agreeing to negotiations with Tehran but stressing that they should have a time limit followed by harsh sanctions and possibly military action. But despite such assurances, it is highly likely that the State Department has privately made clear its desire to see a Likud-Kadima government rather than a rightist bloc. Netanyahu has acknowledged that he was approached by contacts in the American administration, although Livni has denied any such contact. Netanyahu is all too aware that the kind of right-wing coalition that he could put together would find little favour in Washington. He has said that if Kadima were to join a Likud-run government, it could hold at least eight ministerial positions, including the foreign and defence posts, and a further six positions within the government, as well as a number of Knesset committee slots. He has, however, ruled out the kind of rotating premiership that was a feature of the Likud-Labour National Unity Government in the 1980s.

A Likud official declared on Saturday, "Netanyahu will be willing to accommodate Kadima in order to include it in a unity government led by him, but first Livni must set petty politics aside and place the country's interests first." Livni has insisted that she will not join a government led by Netanyahu. On Sunday, Kadima's leadership met in closed session. Livni was reported to declare, "I have already been No. 2 and from that position I will not be able to advance procedures. We went to elections and we won." "I can also put together a coalition that is united around the peace process," she said in a statement clearly meant for an international audience. "Netanyahu doesn't want that, and couldn't do it even if he did, with his right-wing partners." The outgoing, acting prime minister, Ehud Olmert, has publicly backed Livni's stance, and she enjoys majority support within the party. "Go into opposition and you will steer Kadima to victory in the next elections," Olmert is reported to have told Livni. However, he is also reported by Britain's Daily Telegraph to have privately urged her to do precisely the opposite.

This prompted Livni to send him a note stating, "I have no intention of being in a unity government headed by Bibi [Netanyahu]—and don't hint that." Olmert "received the note only after it had been captured on camera during a party meeting," according to the Telegraph. There is in any case no principled content to the opposition to governing alongside Netanyahu. The main concern is over who will dominate a coalition, and Livni is in reality keeping her options open. Her insistence that "Kadima should be asked to form a government" was followed by the caveat, "but there may be other scenarios." The chairman of the Kadima parliamentary faction, Yoel Hasson, told Ynet news that the party "must not enter the coalition and make an extreme-right government under Netanyahu seem kosher." But he then added that should Likud offer Kadima a rotating coalition with Livni and Netanyahu taking turns at being premier, then that would "entirely change the picture. That's a completely different story." One difficulty facing Livni in her bargaining stance is that, if she overplays her hand, then some Kadima ministers have threatened to rejoin Likud—from which Kadima initially split under the leadership of Ariel Sharon.

Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz and Construction and Housing Minister Ze'ev Boim are attempting to push Kadima to join a Likud-led government. According to Army Radio, if she does not then they may rejoin Likud. Mofaz is a former IDF chief of staff and Likud defence minister. To illustrate how serious his challenge is, last year he contested Livni for leadership of Kadima and lost by only a narrow margin of 1.1 percent of the vote. A Likud-Kadima coalition would still need another major partner to give it a majority in the Knesset. The third-largest party and potential kingmaker is Yisrael Beitenu, with 15 seats. Yisrael Beitenu's main campaign slogan, "No loyalty, no citizenship," is a demand that Arab Israelis, who make up 20 percent of the population, sign a loyalty oath to the state and be required to serve in the armed forces or undertake some other form of national service. Those who refused would be stripped of their citizenship and their right to vote or sit in the Knesset, and transferred to a future Palestinian state in an act of ethnic cleansing.

Both Likud and Kadima are nevertheless wooing Lieberman as a potential partner. Lieberman has repeatedly stressed his preference for a Likud-led coalition. But his support brings with it many problems. One of Yisrael Beitenu's demands is for a civil marriage. This would end the monopoly of the Chief Rabbinate over both marriage and the process by which non-Jews can convert to Judaism and thereby claim Israeli citizenship. As such, it is an anathema to the religious parties. Yisrael Beitenu also wants the Construction and Housing Portfolio along with Israel Lands Administration, an important source of political patronage that is also desired by the religious parties. Lieberman is under investigations for tax evasion, fraud, and money laundering, charges that would prevent him from holding the finance, public security or justice portfolios. Another major partner in any National Unity Government or Likud coalition is Shas, a religious party based upon impoverished Jews from the Middle East and North Africa. The head of Shas, Eli Yishai, has announced his party's support for Netanyahu as the country's next premier. He is asking for four portfolios and a significant increase in child allowances.

Yishai has, however, also met with Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, of Kadima, on Sunday. A measure of the type of horsetrading now taking place is the report by Haaretz that Yisrael Beiteinu is proposing removing the tax and securities authorities from the jurisdiction of the finance minister so that Lieberman can assume the post despite his legal difficulties. Haaretz adds that Lieberman also met with former Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, who "urged him to stay out of a government headed by Netanyahu and to wait instead a few months until Deri himself returns to Shas and to Israeli political life. This summer, Deri will be free to take a cabinet post, following the end of the period of censure occasioned by his conviction for bribery, fraud and breach of trust and subsequent three-year prison term.

According to the same sources, Deri will be able to bring Shas into a coalition led by Kadima chair Tzipi Livni, and Yisrael Beitenu will join the government at the same time." Livni's difficulty in putting together a coalition is rooted in the collapse of her former major partner, Labour, which was beaten into fourth place by Yisrael Beitenu and has indicated that it will sit in opposition in order to rebuild its credibility. The party is busy tearing itself apart, with a leadership challenge to Barak in the cards that will include Amir Peretz, party leader from 2005 to 2007 and defence minister under Ehud Olmert. Shas - Hareidi English Shas Template:Dablink Template:Infobox Israeli Political Party Shas ( Template:Lang-he ) is a political party in Israel , primarily representing Ultra-orthodox Sephardi and Mizrahi Judaism . The original name of Shas is the The Worldwide Sephardic Association [of] Torah Keepers ( Template:Lang-he ).

As a result of the 2006 elections , Shas has 12 seats in the Knesset and is tied with Likud for the third-highest number of seats. Following the election, Shas joined the governing coalition and holds four cabinet posts. Its current leader, Eli Yishai , is deputy prime minister. Contents 6 External links History Shas was founded in 1984 prior to the elections in the same year, through the merger of regional lists established in 1983. The party was formed under the leadership of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (a former Israeli Chief rabbi ), who remains its spiritual leader today. In founding the party, Rabbi Yosef received strategic help and guidance from Rabbi Elazar Shach (1898-2001), the leader of Israel's non-Hasidic Haredi Ashkenazi Jews (known as the " Mitnagdim " by some.) The party was mired in scandal after the indictment and subsequent conviction and imprisonment of its former party leader, Aryeh Deri , on corruption charges in 1999.

While Rabbi Yosef distanced the party from Deri and installed Yishai as the new party head, many Shas voters saw Deri as the victim of a discriminatory political witch-hunt and continue to support him. However, he is still considered the architect of the movement, and yet is one of the figures in Israel who has changed Israeli Society for the better, raising the levels of QoL of Mizrahi , Sephardi and Ashkenazi Israeli refugees up to the heights of those who live in other Developed countries , and thus is seen as movement of revoluntionary change in the world of Israel Society's hypermobilisation , although has been criticized by the National Religious Party and National Union , for not being Zionist enough, in response to parties such as Kadimah and Labor , in such coalition deals. Following Deri's conviction, Shas gained 17 seats in the 1999 elections , its strongest showing since its formation.

They then were predicted 26 seats in the next election, but its strength was reduced to 11 seats in the 2003 election , and in the 2006 elections it added one seat for a total of 12 in the current Knesset . Shas is a strong advocate of the Halacha playing a pivotal role and providing a fulcrum for the operation of the state and its identity, such as laws prohibiting various activities on the Shabbat . Shas has a socially conservative agenda, while also supporting generous welfare payments, especially for yeshiva students. Its policy toward the Arabs has been relatively flexible, although it generally supports the Greater Israel idea united under the crown of the Mizrahi Torah, in accordance to Ha Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef 's Shlita flexible foreign policy derivatives. They have never taken an active measure to supporting the Gush Emunim movement and don't relatively care about the Israeli Settlements , and probably are more closer to Agudat Yisrael than the Tkuma or Hazit .

Shas, however, has at various times been able to exert disproportionate influence by gaining control of the balance of power within the context of the traditionally narrow margin between Israel's large parties, Labor and Likud , now joined by Kadima . The majority of Shas voters are themselves not Ultra-orthodox. Many of its voters are Modern Orthodox and 'traditional' Mizrahim and Sephardim . Some Druze and pragmatic Mafdalniks (supporters of the National Religious Party) also vote for Shas, due to its alignment with the promotion of an 'authentic Middle Eastern' Israeli culture , which fits well with traditional Zionist beliefs of a revival of authentic Jewish culture. However, they are still representing, by principle and not practise, their Sephardi and Mizrahi Haredi Jewish Sectors in the Knesset . Beliefs and political platform See SHAS Party website [1] Controversy Since 1999, several of Shas's MKs, including Aryeh Deri , Raphael Pinhasi , Yair Lev , Ofer Hugi and Yair Peretz have been convicted of offences including fraud and forgery.

In addition, current MK Shlomo Benizri is currently on trial for accepting bribes. Election to 17th Knesset (2006) Twelve Shas candidates were elected to the 17th Knesset:

Question: The Kadima, Likud and Shas political parties are active in which country?
Answer: Israel