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Likud (, ), officially known as Likud – National Liberal Movement (), is a major right-wing| political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon in an alliance with several right-wing parties. Likud's landslide victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had lost power. In addition, it was the first time in Israel that a right-wing party received the most votes. After ruling the country for most of the 1980s, the party lost the Knesset election in 1992. Likud's candidate Benjamin Netanyahu won the vote for prime minister in 1996 and was given the task of forming a government after the 1996 elections following Yitzak Rabin's assassination. Netanyahu's government fell apart after a vote of no confidence, which led to elections being called in 1999 and Likud losing power to the One Israel coalition led by Ehud Barak.
In 2001 Likud's Ariel Sharon, who replaced Netanyahu following the 1999 election, defeated Barak in an election called by the prime minister following his resignation. After the party recorded a convincing win in the 2003 elections, Likud saw a major split in 2005 when Sharon left to form the Kadima party. This resulted in Likud slumping to fourth place in the 2006 elections and losing 28 seats in the Knesset. Following the 2009 elections, Likud was able to gain 15 seats, and, with Netanyahu back in control of the party, formed a coalition with fellow right-wing parties Yisrael Beiteinu and Shas to take control of the government from Kadima, which earned a plurality, but not a majority. Netanyahu served as prime minister from then until 2021. Likud had been the leading vote-getter in each subsequent election until April 2019, when Likud tied with Blue and White and September 2019, when Blue and White won one more seat than the Likud. Likud won the most seats at the 2020 and 2021 elections, but Netanyahu was removed from power in June 2021 by an unprecedented coalition led by Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett. He subsequently returned to the office of prime minister after winning the 2022 election.
A member of the party is called a () and the party's election symbol is מחל (), reflecting the party's origins as an electoral list of several pre-existing parties, including those who used the symbols מ, ח and ל.
In its first election Likud won 39 seats, reducing the Alignment's lead to 12. The party went on to win the 1977 election with 43 seats, finishing 11 seats ahead of the Alignment. Menachem Begin formed a government with the support of the religious parties, consigning the left wing to opposition for the first time since independence. A former leader of the hard-line paramilitary Irgun, Begin signed the 1978 Camp David Accords "Camp David Accords". Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. and the 1979 Egypt–Israel peace treaty. In the 1981 election, the Likud won 48 seats, but formed a narrower government than in 1977.
Likud has long been a loose alliance between politicians committed to different and sometimes opposing policy preferences and ideologies. The 1981 election highlighted divisions that existed between the populist wing of Likud, headed by David Levy of Herut, and the Liberal wing, who represented a policy agenda of the secular bourgeoisie.
Shamir stepped down as Likud leader after losing the election in March 1993. To replace him, the party held its first primary election, in which former United Nations Ambassador Benjamin Netanyahu defeated David Levy, Benny Begin and Moshe Katsav, becoming the Leader of the Opposition. In 1995, following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, his temporary successor, decided to call early elections in order to give the government a mandate to advance the peace process. The election was held in May 1996, and included a direct vote for the prime minister in which Netanyahu narrowly defeated Peres, becoming the new prime minister.
In 1998 Netanyahu agreed to cede territory in the Wye River Memorandum, which led some Likud MKs, led by Benny Begin (Menachem Begin's son), Michael Kleiner and David Re'em, to break away and form a new party, named Herut – The National Movement. The new party was endorsed by Yitzhak Shamir, who expressed disappointment in Netanyahu's leadership. Following the withdrawal of his remaining partners, Netanyahu's coalition collapsed in December 1998, resulting in the 1999 election, where Labor's Ehud Barak defeated Netanyahu on a platform promoting the settlement of final status issues. Following his defeat, Netanyahu stepped down as leader of Likud. That September, former Defense Minister Ariel Sharon won a leadership election to replace Netanyahu, defeating Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert and former Finance Minister Meir Sheetrit.
Barak's government collapsed in December 2000, several months after the Camp David Summit ended without an agreement, and early elections for Prime Minister were called for February 2001, in which Sharon decisively defeated Barak. In 2002 Netanyahu challenged Sharon in a leadership election, but was defeated. During Sharon's tenure, Likud faced an internal split due to Sharon's policy of unilateral disengagement from Gaza and parts of the West Bank, which proved extremely divisive within the party.
On 20 November 2005 Labor announced its withdrawal from Sharon's governing coalition following the election of the left-wing Amir Peretz as its leader. On 21 November 2005, Sharon announced he would be leaving the Likud and forming a new centrist party, Kadima. The new party included both Likud and Labor supporters of unilateral disengagement. Sharon also announced that an election would take place in early 2006. Seven candidates had declared themselves as contenders to replace Sharon as leader: Netanyahu, Uzi Landau, Shaul Mofaz, Yisrael Katz, Silvan Shalom and Moshe Feiglin. Landau and Mofaz later withdrew, the former in favour of Netanyahu and the latter to join Kadima.
In January 2006 Sharon suffered a stroke that left him in a vegetative state, leading to his replacement as Kadima leader by Ehud Olmert, who led Kadima to victory in the election, winning 29 seats. The Likud experienced a substantial loss in support, coming in fourth place and winning only 12, while other right-wing nationalist parties such as Yisrael Beiteinu, which came within 116 votes of overtaking Likud, gained votes. After the election, Netanyahu was re-elected Likud Leader in 2007, defeating Feiglin and World Likud Chairman Danny Danon.
Following the opening of several criminal investigations against Olmert, he resigned as prime minister on 21 September 2008 and retired from politics. In the ensuing snap election, held in 2009, Likud won 27 seats, the second-largest number of seats and one seat less than Kadima, now led by Tzipi Livni. However, Likud's allies won enough seats to allow Netanyahu to form a government, which included Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu, Shas, United Torah Judaism, The Jewish Home, and Labor. Labor left the coalition in 2011 after party leader Ehud Barak left to form his own party, Independence, that remained a member of Netanyahu's government. The next year, Netanyahu was re-elected as Likud leader, defeating Moshe Feiglin. Kadima then joined the coalition in May 2012 before leaving in July. Following Kadima's withdrawal from the government and amid disagreements related to the 2013 budget, the Knesset was dissolved in October 2012 and a snap election was called for January 2013.
In the 2013 elections the Likud–Yisrael Beiteinu alliance won 31 seats, 20 of which were Likud members. The second largest party, Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid, won 19. Netanyahu continued as prime minister after forming a coalition with Yesh Atid, the Jewish Home, and Hatnuah. The government collapsed in December 2014 due to disagreements over the budget and the proposed , triggering a snap election the next year.
Likud won the 2015 election, defeating the Zionist Union, an alliance of Labor and Hatnuah, winning 30 seats to the Zionist Union's 24. The party subsequently formed a government with United Torah Judaism, Shas, Kulanu, and the Jewish Home. In May 2016, Yisrael Beitenu joined the government, before leaving in December 2018, causing Netanyahu to call a snap election for April 2019.
During the September 2019 Israeli legislative election campaign, Likud agreed to a deal with Zehut, whereby the latter party would drop out of the election and endorse Likud in exchange for a ministerial post for its leader, Moshe Feiglin, as well as policy concessions.
Prior to the 2020 Israeli legislative election Gideon Sa'ar unsuccessfully challenged Netanyahu for the Likud leadership. In December of that year, Sa'ar left Likud, along with four other Likud MKs, to form New Hope.
Prior to the 2021 Israeli legislative election, Gesher merged into Likud, receiving a slot on its electoral list. 2021 marked the first time that Likud put a Muslim on its slate, choosing Muslim school principal Nail Zoabi for 39th on its slate.
Likud also facilitated the formation of a joint list between the Religious Zionist Party, Otzma Yehudit and Noam by providing the Religious Zionist Party a slot on the Likud list. On 14 June, after the swearing-in of the 36th government, Ofir Sofer who held the slot, split from the Likud faction and returned to the Religious Zionist Party, decreasing the Likud faction by one to 29 seats in the Knesset.
Likud won the most seats in the 2022 Israeli legislative election.
, the party remains divided between moderates and hard-liners.
Likud is considered to be the leading party in the national camp in Israeli politics.
The 1999 Likud Party platform emphasized the right of settlement:
Similarly, they claim the Jordan River as the permanent eastern border to Israel and it also claims Jerusalem as belonging to Israel.
The 'Peace & Security' chapter of the 1999 Likud Party platform rejects a Palestinian state:
With Likud back in power, starting in 2009, Israeli foreign policy is still under review. Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu, in his "National Security" platform, neither endorsed nor ruled out the idea of a Palestinian state. According to Time, "Netanyahu has hinted that he does not oppose the creation of a Palestinian state, but aides say he must move cautiously because his religious-nationalist coalition partners refuse to give away land."
On 14 June 2009, Netanyahu delivered a speech at Bar-Ilan University (also known as "Bar-Ilan Speech"), at Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, that was broadcast live in Israel and across parts of the Arab world, on the topic of the Middle East peace process. He endorsed for the first time the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, with several conditions.
However, on 16 March 2015, Netanyahu stated in the affirmative, that if he were elected, a Palestinian state would not be created. Netanyahu argued, "anyone who goes to create today a Palestinian state and turns over land, is turning over land that will be used as a launching ground for attacks by Islamist extremists against the State of Israel." Some take these statements to mean that Netanyahu and Likud oppose a Palestinian state. After having been criticised by U.S. White House Spokesperson Josh Earnest for the "divisive rhetoric" of his election campaign, on 19 March 2015, Netanyahu retreated to "I don't want a one-state solution. I want a peaceful, sustainable two-state solution. I have not changed my policy."
The Likud Constitution of May 2014 is more vague and ambiguous. Though it contains commitments to the strengthening of Jewish settlement in the West Bank, it does not explicitly rule out the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In 2002, during the Second Intifada, Israel's Likud-led government reoccupied Palestinian towns and refugee camps in the West Bank. In 2005 Ariel Sharon defied the recent tendencies of Likud and abandoned the policy of seeking to settle in the West Bank and Gaza. Though re-elected Prime Minister on a platform of no unilateral withdrawals, Sharon carried out the Gaza disengagement plan, withdrawing from the Gaza Strip, as well as four settlements in the northern West Bank. Though losing a referendum among Likud registered voters, Sharon achieved government approval of this policy by firing most of the cabinet members who opposed the plan before the vote.
Sharon and the faction who supported his disengagement proposals left the Likud party after the disengagement and created the new Kadima party. This new party supported unilateral disengagement from most of the West Bank and the fixing of borders by the Israeli West Bank barrier. The basic premise of the policy was that the Israelis have no viable negotiating partner on the Palestinian side, and since they cannot remain in indefinite occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, Israel should unilaterally withdraw.
Netanyahu, who was elected as the new leader of Likud after Kadima's creation, and Silvan Shalom, the runner-up, both supported the disengagement plan; however, Netanyahu resigned his ministerial post before the plan was executed. As of 2018, most Likud members supported the Jewish settlements in the West Bank and opposed Palestinian statehood and the disengagement from Gaza.
Although settlement activity has continued under recent Likud governments, much of the activity outside the major settlement blocs has been to accommodate the Jewish Home, a coalition partner; support within Likud to build outside the blocs is not particularly strong.
Likud, under Netanyahu, is alleged to have intentionally propped up the rule of Hamas in Gaza as a means of dividing the Palestinians politically and using Palestinian extremism drawing the peace process away from a two-state solution.
In the 2019 elections Likud was widely criticized as a "racist party" after scaremongering anti-Arab rhetoric by its members as well as Netanyahu who claimed minority Arabs and Palestinians in Israel as "threats" and "enemies".
On religion and state, Likud has a moderate stance, and supports the preservation of status quo. With time, the party has played into the traditional sympathies of its voter base, though the origins and ideology of Likud are secular. Religious parties have come to view it as a more comfortable coalition partner than Labor.
Likud promotes a revival of Jewish culture, in keeping with the principles of Revisionist Zionism. Likud emphasizes such Israeli nationalist themes as the use of the Israeli flag and the victory in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. In July 2018, Likud lawmakers voted a controversial into law which declares Israel as the "nation-state of the Jewish people".
Likud publicly endorses press freedom and promotion of private sector media, which has grown markedly under governments Likud has led. A Likud government headed by Ariel Sharon, however, closed the popular right-wing pirate radio station Arutz Sheva ("Channel 7"). Arutz Sheva was popular with the Jewish settler movement and often criticised the government from a right-wing perspective.
Historically, the Likud and its pre-1948 predecessor, the Revisionist movement advocated secular nationalism. However, the Likud's first prime minister and long-time leader Menachem Begin, though secular himself, cultivated a warm attitude to Jewish tradition and appreciation for traditionally religious Jews—especially from North Africa and the Middle East. This segment of the Israeli population first brought the Likud to power in 1977. Many Orthodox Israelis find the Likud a more congenial party than any other mainstream party, and in recent years also a large group of Haredi Judaism, mostly modern Haredim, joined the party and established the Haredi faction in the Likud.
Likud prime ministers Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu have typically pursued improved relations with Russia, with Likud using posters of Netanyahu meeting Russian president Vladimir Putin during its September 2019 Israeli legislative election campaign. However, since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Likud has been divided, with party leader Netanyahu seeking to maintain working relations with Russia and avoid involvement in the conflict, while some MKs, such as Nir Barkat and Yuli Edelstein, have advocated closer alignment with the West against Russia and support for Ukraine in the Russo-Ukrainian war.
The Likud government during the 2010s advocated closer ties with Japan, China and India, in order to reduce Israel's dependency on Western Europe. In 2017 Netanyahu described closer Israeli alignment with China as a "marriage made in heaven". Likud has also maintained connections with the ruling political party in India, the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Likud governments have pursued close ties with the Republican Party in the United States, leading to a perception of preference for the Republicans over the rival Democratic Party. In 2015 Netanyahu delivered an address to the Republican-held United States Congress without consulting the Democratic presidential administration at the time.
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 drew criticism from the Likud foreign minister Ariel Sharon, who described it as "brutal interventionism". Ariel Sharon... by Robert Fisk Friday 6 January 2006, The Independent Relations between Serbia and Israel improved during the Netanyahu-led Likud government of the 2010s. Likud has had long-term political ties to the Hungarian ruling party Fidesz, which has led to warm diplomatic relations between Netanyahu's Likud governments and the Hungarian governments of Viktor Orbán.
In recent years, Likud has cultivated ties with European right-wing populist political parties, including the Spanish Vox, the Italian Lega, the Portuguese Chega, the Dutch Party for Freedom, the French National Rally, the Sweden Democrats, the Danish People's Party, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians and the Belgian Vlaams Belang.
The 1992 Likud leadership election was the first held after Likud became a unified party. The 1992 leadership election was held as a vote of the Likud Central Committee. After 1992, the party moved to electing its leaders through votes of its general membership, with the first such vote taking place in 1993.
The Central Committee has a considerable number of members. For example, in one vote, 3,050 members took part in 2005. "Likud votes in favor of Sharon" , IMEMC, September 26, 2005
Culture
Likud generally advocates free enterprise and nationalism, but it has sometimes compromised these ideals in practice, especially as its constituency has changed. Its support for populist economic programs are at odds with its free enterprise tradition, but are meant to serve its largely nationalistic, lower-income voters in small towns and urban neighborhoods.
Foreign policy
Since the 1990s, Likud has advocated a hardline stance against Iran and its proxy militias such as the Lebanese Hezbollah.
Composition (1973–1988)
Herut (1973–1988) Right-wing Liberal (1973–88) Centre-right National List
(1973–1976; 1981) Centrism Free Centre
(1973–1977) Right-wing Shmuel Tamir (1967–1977) Independent Centre
(1975–76) Right-wing Eliezer Shostak (1975–76) Movement for Greater Israel
(1973–1976) Right-wing Avraham Yoffe (1967–1976) La'am
(1976–1984) Centre-right
Leaders
1 Menachem Begin 1973 1983 1977–1983 1977, 1981 2 Yitzhak Shamir 1983 1993 1983–1984, 1986–1992 1984, 1988, 1992 1983, 1984, and 1992 3 Benjamin Netanyahu 1993 1999 1996–1999 1996, 1999 1993, and 1999 (Jan) 4 Ariel Sharon 1999 2005 2001–2006 2001, 2003 1999 (Sep) and 2002 (3) Benjamin Netanyahu 2005 Incumbent 2009–2021, 2022– 2006, 2009, 2013, 2015, Apr 2019, Sep 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 2005 2007 2012, 2014, and 2019
Leader election process
During Begin's tenure as leader of Herut/Likud, his leadership was effectively unchallenged. From 1983 through 1992, Herut/Likud elected its party leaders through votes held in party agencies. The 1983 and 1984 Herut leadership elections were undertaken through a vote of Herut's Central Committee. The day after Yitzhak Shamir won the 1983 secret ballot vote of the Herut Central Committee to obtain Herut's party leadership, the party leaders of the other Likud coalition member parties announced that they agreed to have Shamir lead the Likud coalition.
Party list selection process
Prior to the 2006 election, the Likud's Central Committee relinquished control of selecting the Knesset list to the "rank and file" members at Netanyahu's behest. The aim was to improve the party's reputation, as the central committee had gained a reputation for corruption.
Current MKs
Likud currently has 32 Knesset members. They are listed below in the order that they appeared on the party's list for the 2022 elections.
Party organs
Likud Executive
Likud Central Committee
The Central Committee decides on all matters between party conferences, with the exceptions of matters designated to another organ. , the chairman of the Central Committee is Haim Katz. Organs of the Likud (retrieved May 24, 2022)
Likud Secretariat
The secretariat is the body that elects the director general of the part and the heads various departments. It defines their powers and supervises their activities. the chairman of the secretariat is Haim Katz.
Likud Court
The Court is the supreme judicial organ in all matters of the party.
Legal Advisor
The Legal Advisor advises the party and its bodies in the matters of the state law and the Party constitution and represents the party before external authorities. The Legal Advisor has a significant power and may overturn the decisions of most of the party bodies, including the Central Committee. the Legal Advisor of the Likud Movement is Avi Halevy.
Likud Youth Movement
The Likud Youth Movement (, lit. 'Likud Youth', sometimes called 'Young Likud'), is the official body in charge of all young members of Likud. It is a member group of the International Young Democrat Union.
Election results
Knesset
1973 Menachem Begin 473,309 30.2 (#2) 7 1977 583,968 33.4 (#1) 4 1981 718,941 37.1 (#1) 3 1984 Yitzhak Shamir 661,302 31.9 (#2) 7 1988 709,305 31.1 (#1) 1 1992 651,229 24.9 (#2) 8 1996 Benjamin Netanyahu 767,401 25.1 (#2) 10 1999 468,103 14.1 (#2) 3 2003 Ariel Sharon 925,279 29.4 (#1) 19 2006 Benjamin Netanyahu 281,996 9.0 (#4) 26 2009 729,054 21.6 (#2) 15 2013 884,631 23.3 (#1) 7 2015 984,966 23.4 (#1) 12 Apr 2019 1,138,772 26.5 (#1) 5 Sep 2019 1,113,617 25.1 (#2) 4 2020 1,349,171 29.5 (#1) 4 2021 1,066,892 24.2 (#1) 6 2022 1,115,049 23.4 (#1) 2
Prime minister
See also
External links
Categories: Official Website, Political Parties In Israel, Conservatism In Israel, European Conservatives And Reformists Group, Liberal Conservative Parties, Political Parties Established In 1973, Revisionist Zionism, Zionist Political Parties In Israel, Conservative Parties In Israel, National Liberal Parties, Betar, Liberal Parties In Israel, National Conservative Parties, Right-wing Populist Parties, 1973 Establishments In Israel, Right-wing Populism In Israel, Right-wing Politics In Israel, Right-wing Parties In Asia, Words And Phrases In Modern Hebrew
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