National Union (Israel)
National Union האיחוד הלאומי | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Leader | Ya'akov Katz Benny Begin Rehavam Ze'evi Binyamin Elon Avigdor Lieberman |
Founded | 1999 |
Dissolved | 2013 |
Succeeded by | National Union-Tkuma |
Headquarters | Jerusalem |
Ideology | Nationalism[1] Zionism National conservatism Right-wing populism |
Political position | Right-wingtofar-right[2] |
Colours | |
Most MKs | 7 (2003) |
Election symbol | |
ט (In 1999יט; in 2003ל) | |
Website | |
www.leumi.org.il | |
TheNational Union(Hebrew:האיחוד הלאומי,HaIhud HaLeumi) was anallianceofright-wingand nationalistpolitical partiesinIsrael.In its final full form, the alliance consisted of four parties:Moledet,Hatikva,Eretz Yisrael Shelanu,andTkuma.[3]Leading up to the2013 Knesset elections,only Tkuma remained, and joinedThe Jewish Home.During its existence, it had also includedAhi,Herut – The National Movement,theJewish National Front,andYisrael Beiteinu.
Background[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/National_Union_%281999%29.png/300px-National_Union_%281999%29.png)
The National Union was formed in 1999 to contest theelections of that yearas an alliance between Moledet, Tkuma, andHerut – The National Movement,winning four seats. In 2001, the party's support was almost doubled by the addition of the predominantlyRussian-immigrantparty,Yisrael Beiteinu.
AfterAriel Sharonwon the2001 Prime Ministerial elections,National Union was brought into theNational Unity Government,and party leaderRehavam Zeeviwas appointed Minister of Tourism, with Yisrael Beiteinu leaderAvigdor Liebermanbecoming Minister of National Infrastructure. When Zeevi was assassinated on 17 October 2001,Binyamin Elonof Moledet took his ministerial position, and Lieberman became head of the National Union.
Herut ran independently in the2003 elections,and did not pass the barrier. The National Union party won seven seats, and was included in Ariel Sharon's coalition, alongsideLikud,Shinui,theNational Religious Party,andYisrael BaAliyah.Elon and Lieberman were appointed Minister of Tourism and Minister of Transportation, respectively.
The National Union opposed thewithdrawal from the Gaza Strip.Sharon sacked ministers Elon and Lieberman, and the National Union left the coalition (Elon attempted to avoid sacking by going into hiding, but ultimately failed).[4]
However, the National Union was then bolstered by the addition of theRenewed Religious National Zionist Party(later renamed Ahi), which had been formed by NRP dissidents opposed to the Gaza withdrawal after the NRP had decided to remain in the coalition. After withdrawal, the National Union adopted orange as its symbol, the color having been used by anti-disengagement protesters.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/NatUnionMafdal.png/300px-NatUnionMafdal.png)
In 2005, Yisrael Beiteinu left the National Union to run independently in the2006 elections.At the last minute, the National Religious Party decided to form a joint list with National Union calledNational Union - NRP.The combined list adopted more social policies, and won the support of the chief rabbis ofReligious Zionism(such as RabbiAbraham Shapira), and the Union of Handicapped (thanks to the NRP's pro-handicapped legislation). The joint list used the sloganNew Right Rising(Hebrew: ימין חדש עולה,Yamin Hadash Oleh), and won nine seats, of which the National Union took six.
This article is part ofa serieson |
Conservatism in Israel |
---|
![]() |
In 2008, in anticipation of the 2009 elections, the National Union and NRP formally unified into a single party, calledthe Jewish Home.This was intended to unify their political sector and present the public with a new face for the religious Zionist movement. The Jewish Home was to be a single party, rather than a list of separate parties, each with its own agenda and independent leadership. ProfessorDaniel Hershkowitzwas picked to head the newly formed party. However, MKAryeh Eldadleft to form his own list, Hatikva, while MKsEffi EitamandYitzhak Levy(formerly of Ahi) re-established Ahi, which later merged intoLikud.When the Jewish Home announced its candidate list for the elections, five of the top six slots went to ex-NRP members, with only MKUri Ariel,formerly of Tkuma, in the top six.
The remaining ex-Moledet members broke off, re-established their party, and allied with MK Eldad's Hatikva, reviving the National Union name. Elon stated that he would not seek re-election, and American immigrantUri Banktook his place on the Jewish Home list. The split from Jewish Home grew, and polls indicated Hatikva could win three seats.Eretz Yisrael Shelanualso joined the National Union, with memberMichael Ben-Arigiven fourth spot on the alliance's list. While these issues were being negotiated, Uri Ariel also left Jewish Home and rejoined the National Union list, leaving Jewish Home as little more than a renamed NRP.
In preparation for the2013 Knesset elections,the Tkuma faction of the National Union merged with the Jewish Home. Ya'akov Katz, chairman of the party, asked to be lower on the list of Tkuma members, and soon after resigned from politics. Hatikva and Eretz Yisrael Shelanu broke off, and merged to formOtzma LeYisrael[5]while Moledet and Tkuma merged with the Jewish Home.[6]In the elections held on 22 January 2013, the Jewish Home received 9% of the vote, winning twelve seats in the Knesset.
Controversy[edit]
National Union had come under scrutiny for its sympathy towards right-wing "price-tag"militants, who engaged invandalistactivities targeting both the state of Israel andPalestinians,including siding with such militants in clashes with Israeli authorities. When a group of "hilltop youth" militants attacked an Israeli army base in late 2011, MKUri Arielprotested Israeli officials who called the group "terrorists", and condemned calls for the use of lethal force to repel such attacks in the future.[7]In January 2012, Ariel admitted to giving IDF troop movement information to such militants in order to facilitate disruption of army activities.[8]
In 2009, MKMichael Ben-Ariwas arrested after interfering with police attempts to arrest a settler who had been rioting against Palestinians in protest of proposed settlement evacuations.[9]In March 2011, Ben-Ari criticized arrests of settlers who had thrown stones at the police in order to block the service of an arrest warrant, comparing Internal Security MinisterYitzhak AharonovitchtoMuammar Gaddafiand declaring that "his days are numbered".[10]
In 2012, MKAryeh Eldadand MKMichael Ben-Arisparked controversy by calling for asylum seekers entering Israel to be shot.[11]
Composition[edit]
Name | Ideology | Position | Leader | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Moledet(1999–2013) | Ultranationalism Population transfer |
Right-wingtofar-right | Rehavam Ze'evi(1999–2001) Benny Elon(2001–08) Uri Bank (2008–13) | |
Tkuma(1999–2013) | Religious Zionism Ultranationalism |
Right-wingtofar-right | Zvi Hendel(1999–2009) Ya'akov Katz(2009–13) | |
Herut(1999–2000) | Revisionist Zionism | Right-wing | Benny Begin(1999–2000) Michael Kleiner(2000) | |
Yisrael Beiteinu(2001–2005) | Revisionist Zionism Secularism |
Right-wing | Avigdor Lieberman(2001–2005) | |
Mafdal(2006–2008) | Religious Zionism Religious conservatism |
Right-wing | Zvulun Orlev(2006–2008) | |
Ahi(2005–2008) | Religious Zionism Religious conservatism |
Right-wing | Effi Eitam(2005–2008) | |
Hatikva(2009–2012) | Revisionist Zionism Ultranationalism |
Far-right | Aryeh Eldad(2009–2012) | |
Eretz Yisrael Shelanu(2009–2013) | Religious Zionism Ultranationalism |
Far-right | Shalom Dov Wolpo(2009–2013) | |
Hayil(2009–2013) | Kahanism Ultranationalism |
Far-right | Baruch Marzel(2009–2012) |
Party leaders[edit]
Leader | Took office | Left office | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Benny Begin | 1999 | 1999 |
2 | Rehavam Ze'evi | 1999 | 2003 | |
3 | ![]() |
Avigdor Lieberman | 2003 | 2005 |
4 | ![]() |
Benny Elon | 2005 | 2008 |
5 | ![]() |
Ya'akov Katz | 2008 | 2013 |
6 | Uri Ariel[a] | 2013 | 2019 | |
7 | ![]() |
Bezalel Smotrich[a] | 2019 | Incumbent |
Election results[edit]
Election | Alliance | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1999 | none | Benny Begin | 100,181 | 3.0 (#11) | 4 / 120
|
New | Opposition |
2003 | none | Avigdor Lieberman | 173,973 | 5.52 (#5) | 7 / 120
|
![]() |
Government |
2006 | National Union-NRP | Benny Elon | 224,083 | 7.14 (#9) | 6 / 120
|
![]() |
Opposition |
2009 | none | Yaakov Katz | 112,570 | 3.34 (#8) | 4 / 120
|
![]() |
Opposition |
Knesset members[edit]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Sharon Weinblum (2015).Security and Defensive Democracy in Israel: A Critical Approach to Political Discourse.Routledge. p. 10.ISBN978-1-317-58450-6.
- ^"Israeli political parties".BBC News. 5 April 2006.Retrieved26 June2015.
- ^Gil Hoffman (1 January 2009)."The only candidate Anglos can 'Bank' on?".The Jerusalem Post.Retrieved26 June2015.
- ^Donald MacIntyre(5 June 2004)."Cabinet farce after Sharon sacks pair to secure Gaza vote".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 18 June 2022.
- ^Elad Benari (12 October 2012)."Ben-Ari Leaves National Union, Will Run with Eldad".Arutz 7.Retrieved15 October2012.
- ^"Moledet Strengthens Unity in Religious Camp".Arutz Sheva. 8 November 2012.Retrieved4 December2012.
- ^Herb Keinon;Yaakov Lappin; Lahav Harkov (15 December 2011)."Rioting Jews to be tried in army courts".The Jerusalem Post.Retrieved26 June2015.
- ^Jonathan Lis (8 January 2012)."Second Israeli MK admits to having given settlers information on IDF movements".Haaretz.Retrieved26 June2015.
- ^Nathan Jeffay (3 June 2009)."Pollsters Find Israeli Public Less Supportive of Settlements".The Jewish Daily Forward.Retrieved26 June2015.
- ^Yair Altman (30 March 2011)."Settlers stone police in nightly clash".Ynetnews.Retrieved26 June2015.
- ^Gili Cohen (3 June 2012)."MK: Shoot everyone trying to cross Israel border".Haaretz.Retrieved26 June2015.
External links[edit]
- National UnionKnesset website
- "Facebook of National Union".Facebook.Archived fromthe originalon 8 March 2021.
- "/ Young Leadership of National Union website".Archivedfrom the original on 15 October 2012.
- Facebook Young Leadership of National Union
- Defunct political party alliances in Israel
- Religious Zionist political parties in Israel
- Zionist political parties in Israel
- Neo-Zionism
- Nationalist parties in Asia
- Political parties established in 1999
- Conservative parties in Israel
- 1999 establishments in Israel
- Political parties disestablished in 2013
- Right-wing parties
- 2013 disestablishments in Israel
- Right-wing politics in Israel
- Far-right political parties in Israel