Likud
Founded	1973
Leader	Benjamin Netanyahu
Number of MPs at height of power	48 (1981)
Political ideology	Centre-right, Conservative liberalism, Revisionist Zionism
Headquarters	"Metzudat Ze'ev", 38 King George Street, Tel Aviv, Israel
Colour(s)	Blue
Website	www.likud.org.il
See also the Politics of Israel series

Likud (Hebrew: ליכוד‎, lit. Consolidation) is a major center-right political party in Israel. Founded in 1973 as an alliance of several right-wing and liberal parties, Likud's 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. However, after ruling the country for most of the 1980s, the party has won only one Knesset election since 1992, though its candidate, Benjamin Netanyahu, did win the popular vote for Prime Minister in 1996. After a big win in the 2003 elections, a major split in 2005 saw Likud leader Ariel Sharon leave to form the new Kadima party, with Likud slumping to fourth place in elections the following year. The party now leads the opposition in the Knesset.^[1] Likud party logo This is a copyrighted and/or trademarked logo. ...   (‎, Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu, born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel and is Chairman of the Likud Party. ... The centre-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote political parties or organizations (such as think tanks) that stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Palestine (comprising todays Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza strip) and Transjordan (todays Kingdom of Jordan) were all part of the British Mandate of Palestine. ... This article is about the colour. ... Politics of Israel takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Israel is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ... Hebrew redirects here. ... The term center-right has two distinct meanings in politics: Center-right can be used to describe a moderately right-wing political party. ... Political parties in Israel: Israels political system is based on proportional representation which allows for a multi-party system with numerous parties. ... The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May, 1977. ... Elections in Israel gives information on election and election results in Israel. ...   (‎, Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu, born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel and is Chairman of the Likud Party. ... The Prime Minister of Israel (Hebrew: ראש הממשלה, Rosh HaMemshala, lit. ... The first ever election for Prime Minister was held in Israel on 29 May 1996 alongside simultaneous Knesset elections. ... Elections for the 16th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 January 2003. ...   (Hebrew: , also known by his diminutive Arik אָרִיק) (born February 27, 1928) is a former Israeli politician and general. ... Kadima (Hebrew: קדימה, Forward) is a political party in Israel. ... The Elections for the 17th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 March 2006. ...

Ideological positions

Economy

The Likud claims to support free market capitalism and liberalism, though in practice it has mostly adopted moderate economic policies. The Likud, under the guidance of Finance minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pushed through legislation reducing value added tax (VAT), income and corporate taxes significantly, as well as customs duty. Likewise, it has instituted free-trade (especially with the European Union and the U.S.) and dismantled certain monopolies (Bezeq and the sea ports). Additionally, it has managed to privatize numerous government owned companies (El Al and Bank Leumi). The last Likud Finance minister, now the party leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, was the most ardent free-market Israeli Finance minister to-date, argues that Israel's largest labor union, the Histadrut, has so much power as to be capable of paralyzing the Israeli economy. He also claims that the main causes of unemployment are laziness and excessive benefits to the unemployed. Under Netanyahu, Likud has and is likely to maintain a comparatively right-wing conservative economic stance, although it might be considered centrist or even progressive from a world view. A free market is an idealized market, where all economic decisions and actions by individuals regarding transfer of money, goods, and services are voluntary, and are therefore devoid of coercion and theft (some definitions of coercion are inclusive of theft). Colloquially and loosely, a free market economy is an economy... For other uses, see Capitalism (disambiguation). ... Liberalism is an ideology, philosophical view, and political tradition which holds that liberty is the primary political value. ... “Moderates” redirects here. ... The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government. ...   (‎, Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu, born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel and is Chairman of the Likud Party. ... Economic policy Monetary policy Central bank   Money supply Gold standard Fiscal policy Spending   Deficit   Debt Policy-mix Trade policy Tariff   Trade agreement Finance Financial market Financial market participants Corporate   Personal Public   Regulation Banking Fractional-reserve Full-reserve   Free banking Islamic        Value added tax (VAT), or goods and services tax (GST... Customs is the plural of custom, a common practice among a group of people. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... Bezeq logo Bezeq (בזק) is Israels national telecommunications provider, and had a monopoly on wire-based telephony. ... Categories: Airline stubs | Companies of Israel | Transportation in Israel | Airlines of Israel ... Bank Leumi Logo Bank Leumi is an Israeli bank. ... The Lawrence textile strike (1912), with soldiers surrounding peaceful demonstrators A trade union or labor union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages, hours, and working conditions, forming a cartel of labour. ... The Histadrut (Federation [of labor]) or HaHistadrut HaKlalit shel HaOvdim BEretz Yisrael (ההסתדרות הכללית של העובדים בארץ ישראל) (Hebrew: General Federation of Laborers in the Land of Israel) is the Israeli trade union congress. ... CIA figures for world unemployment rates, 2006 Unemployment is the state in which a person is without work, available to work, and is currently seeking work. ...

Arab-related issues

The Likud charter calls for the annexation and settlement of the entire Land of Israel,^{[citation needed]} which comprises the current territory of the State of Israel, as well as West Bank, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and the whole of Jerusalem. Satellite image of the Land of Israel in January 2003. ... The Golan Heights (‎ Ramat HaGolan, Arabic: Habat al-ūlān) or Golan is a mountainous area in northeastern Israel[1] on the border of Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ...

Likud has in the past espoused hawkish policies towards the Palestinians, including opposition to Palestinian statehood and support of the Jewish settlers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. However, it has also been the party which carried out the first peace agreements with Arab states. For instance, in 1979, Likud Prime Minister, Menachem Begin, signed the Camp David Accords with Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat, which returned the Sinai Peninsula (occupied by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967) to Egypt in return for peace between the two countries. Yitzhak Shamir also granted some legitimacy to the Palestinians by meeting them at the ill-fated Madrid Conference following the Persian Gulf War in 1991. However, Shamir refused to concede the idea of a Palestinian state, and as a result was blamed by some (including U.S. Secretary of State James Baker) for the failure of the summit. Later, as Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu restated Likud's position of opposing Palestinian statehood, which after the Oslo Accords was largely accepted by the opposition Labor Party, even though the shape of any such state was not clear. Hawkishness or Hawkism is an informal term used to describe a political stance of preparedness for aggression, by diplomatic and ultimately military means, against others to improve the standing of their own government, country or organization. ... The Palestinian flag, adopted in 1948, is a widely recognized modern symbol of the Palestinian people. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ...   (‎, August 16, 1913 – March 9, 1992) was a Jewish-Polish head of the Zionist underground group the Irgun, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the first Likud Prime Minister of Israel. ... Celebrating the signing of the Camp David Accords: Menachem Begin, Jimmy Carter, Anwar Al Sadat. ... Field Marshal Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat (محمد أنورالسادات in Arabic) (December 25, 1918 – October 6, 1981) was an Egyptian soldier and politician, who served as the third President of Egypt from October 15, 1970 until his assassination on October 6, 1981. ... Sinai Peninsula, Gulf of Suez (west), Gulf of Aqaba (east) from Space Shuttle STS-40 For other uses, see Sinai (disambiguation). ...   (Hebrew יִצְחָק שָׁמִיר) (born October 15, 1915) was Prime Minister of Israel from 1983 to 1984 and again from 1986 to 1992. ... The Madrid Conference was hosted by the government of Spain and co-sponsored by the USA and the USSR. It convened on October 30, 1991 and lasted for three days. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar. ... The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. ... James Addison Baker III (born April 28, 1930) served as the Chief of Staff in President Ronald Reagans first administration, Secretary of the Treasury from 1985 to 1988 in the second Reagan administration, and Secretary of State in the administration of President George H. W. Bush. ...   (‎, Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu, born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel and is Chairman of the Likud Party. ... Yitzhak Rabin, Bill Clinton, and Yasser Arafat during the Oslo Accords on September 13, 1993. ... The Israeli Labor Party (‎, Mifleget HaAvoda HaYisraelit), generally known in Israel as Avoda (‎) is a center-left political party in Israel. ...

Following conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians in 2002, Israel's Likud-led government reoccupied Arab towns and refugee camps in West Bank, a position that remains unchanged today. In 2005 Ariel Sharon defied the recent tendencies of Likud and abandoned the "Greater Israel" policy of seeking to settle the West Bank and Gaza. Though re-elected Prime Minister on a platform of no unilateral withdrawals, Sharon carried out the Israeli unilateral disengagement plan, withdrawing from the Gaza Strip and demolishing the Israeli settlements there, as well as four settlements in the northern West Bank. Whilst an overwhelming majority of the Likud's membership opposed this policy, Sharon achieved the approval of this policy through the necessary government channels by firing all cabinet members who opposed the plan before the vote in order to assure a needed majority, and by submitting his plan to what Sharon called a "binding" vote in his party which he lost and yet later disregarded. Also see: 2002 (number). ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...   (Hebrew: , also known by his diminutive Arik אָרִיק) (born February 27, 1928) is a former Israeli politician and general. ... Mythological King Davids Kingdom at the time of his death Greater Israel (also Complete Land of Israel, Hebrew: ‎, Eretz Yisrael Hashlemah[1][2]) is a term that denotes Biblical boundaries of the Land of Israel. ... A map illustrating the four phases of the Gaza disengagement plan. ...

Ariel Sharon and the faction who supported his "Disengagement" proposals left the Likud party after the Disengagement and joined the new Kadima party which was itself founded by former Likud Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. This new party supports unilateral disengagement from most of the West Bank and the fixing of borders by the separation barrier. The basic premise of the policy is the view 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. If pursued, this further Disengagement will, according to many, ultimately mean allowing the creation a Palestinian state although smaller than most Palestinians are likely to accept. It is not known why Mr. Sharon did not create this new party before he carried out the disengagement plan instead of after it.   (Hebrew: , also known by his diminutive Arik אָרִיק) (born February 27, 1928) is a former Israeli politician and general. ... Kadima (Hebrew: קדימה, Forward) is a political party in Israel. ... The Prime Minister of Israel (Hebrew: ראש הממשלה, Rosh HaMemshala, lit. ...   (Hebrew: , also known by his diminutive Arik אָרִיק) (born February 27, 1928) is a former Israeli politician and general. ...

Binyamin Netanyahu, the new rightist leader of Likud, and Silvan Shalom, the party's #2 ranking member, both supported (against the Likud charter) the disengagement plan, however Netanyahu resigned his ministerial post before the plan was executed. Most current Likud members support the Israeli settlements in the West Bank and oppose Arab statehood and the disengagement from Gaza. In politics, right-wing, the political right, or simply the right, are terms which refer, with no particular precision, to the segment of the political spectrum in opposition to left-wing politics. ... Silvan Shalom Silvan Shalom ▶(?) (Hebrew סילבן שלום) (born 1958) is an Israeli politician and current Foreign Minister of Israel, having been appointed in 2003 by the current Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Israeli settlement. ...

Culture

Zeev Jabotinsky

The Likud promotes a revival of Jewish-oriented culture, in keeping with the principles of revisionist zionism. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Zeev Jabotinsky Zeev (Vladimir) Jabotinsky (alternatively Zhabotinski) (Hebrew: , Russian: ; October 18, 1880 - August 4, 1940) was a Zionist leader, author, orator, soldier, and founder of the Jewish Legion in World War I. // Early life Born in Odessa, Ukraine, he was raised in a traditional Jewish home and learned... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... Palestine (comprising todays Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza strip) and Transjordan (todays Kingdom of Jordan) were all part of the British Mandate of Palestine. ...

The Likud emphasize such nationalist themes as the flag and the victory in Israel's 1948 war with neighbouring Arab states. The Likud advocates teaching values in childhood education. The Likud 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 7 ("Channel 7). Arutz 7 was popular with the settlement movement and often criticised the government from a right-wing perspective. However, the Likud is inclined towards the Torah and expresses support for it within the context of civil Judaism, as a result of its Irgun past, which aligned itself according to the word of the Tanakh. For other uses, see Arab (disambiguation). ... The term Pirate Radio usually refers to illegal or unregulated radio transmission. ... Arutz Sheva Israel National Radio is a right wing religious-zionist Israeli radio station. ... Template:Jews and Jewdaism Template:The Holy Book Named TorRah The Torah () is the most valuable Holy Doctrine within Judaism,(and for muslims) revered as the first relenting Word of Ulllah, traditionally thought to have been revealed to Blessed Moosah, An Apostle of Ulllah. ... Irgun emblem. ... For the musical collective, see Tanakh (band). ...

History

Formation and the Menachem Begin years

The Likud was formed by a merger of several right wing parties prior to the 1973 elections, including Gahal, the Free Centre, the National List and the Movement for Greater Israel. The Likud worked as a coalition of its factions led by Menachem Begin's Herut until 1988 when the factions formally dissolved and Likud became a unitary political party. From its establishment in 1973, Likud enjoyed great support from blue-collar Sephardim who felt discriminated against by the ruling Alignment. The Elections for the eighth Knesset were held on 31 December 1973. ... Gahal (acronym for Gush Herut-Liberalim) is a right-wing Zionist party formed in 1965 by members of the Herut and Liberal parties. ... The Free Centre (Hebrew: מרכז חופשי, Merkaz Hofshi) was a political party in Israel, and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day Likud. ... The National List (Hebrew: רשימה ממלכתית, Reshima Mamlakhtit), sometimes translated as the State List, was a political party in Israel, and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day Likud. ...   (‎, August 16, 1913 – March 9, 1992) was a Jewish-Polish head of the Zionist underground group the Irgun, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the first Likud Prime Minister of Israel. ... Herut (Hebrew: חרות Freedom) was the political party of the Revisionist Zionist movement in Israel. ... In the strictest sense, a Sephardi (ספרדי, Standard Hebrew Səfardi, Tiberian Hebrew Səp̄ardî; plural Sephardim: ספרדים, Standard Hebrew Səfardim, Tiberian Hebrew Səp̄ardîm) is a Jew original to the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal: ספרד, Standard Hebrew Səfárad, Tiberian Hebrew Səp̄áraḏ / Səp̄āraḏ), or whose ancestors were among the Jews expelled from... The Alignment (Hebrew: המערך, HaMaarakh), originally called the Labour Alignment (Hebrew: המערך העבודה, HaMaarakh HaAvoda) was the dominant left-wing political party in Israel from its founding in 1965 until its transformation into the Labour Party in 1992. ...

The first Likud prime minister was Menachem Begin, who had led the party to victory in the 1977 elections, the first time the left-wing had lost power in Israel's political history. A former leader of the hard-line paramilitary Irgun, Begin helped initiate the peace process with Egypt, which resulted in the Camp David Accords and the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May, 1977. ... Irgun emblem. ... Celebrating the signing of the Camp David Accords: Menachem Begin, Jimmy Carter, Anwar Al Sadat. ... The Israel-Egypt peace treaty (Arabic: معاهدة السلام المصرية الإسرائيلية; transliterated: Muahadat as-Salam al-Masriyah al-Israyliyah) (Hebrew: הסכם שלום ישראל-מצרים; transliterated: Heskem Shalom Yisrael-Mizraim) was signed in Washington, DC, United States, on March 26, 1979, following the Camp David Accords (1978). ...

Yitzhak Shamir, Netanyahu's first term and Ariel Sharon

The second premier was Yitzhak Shamir, who first became PM in October 1983 following Begin's resignation. Shamir, a former commander of the Lehi underground, served as a strong Israeli leader seen as more hard-line than Begin. Under his leadership, the Jews of Russia and Ethiopia were brought on aliyah to Israel and settlements flourished throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.   (Hebrew יִצְחָק שָׁמִיר) (born October 15, 1915) was Prime Minister of Israel from 1983 to 1984 and again from 1986 to 1992. ... Lehi refers to: Lehi, a prophet in the Book of Mormon Lehi, a city in Utah Lehi, a Zionist paramilitary group in Palestine/Israel Lehi, a location in southwest Palestine/Israel Lehi, a traditionally Mormon agricultural neighborhood in northern Mesa, Arizona This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which... This article is about immigration to Israel. ...

The third Likud premier was Benjamin Netanyahu, elected in May 1996, following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Netanyahu proved far less ideological than Begin and could not stand up to United States' pressure as firmly as Shamir had. Though critical of the Oslo accords and more hawkish than Rabin and Peres' Labour governments, like his rivals in the Labor party, Netanyahu negotiated with Yasser Arafat.   (‎, Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu, born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel and is Chairman of the Likud Party. ... Not to be confused with Yasir Arafat (cricketer). ...

The fourth Likud premier was Ariel Sharon, elected March 2001, who resigned from both the Likud and as Prime Minister on 21 November 2005. Sharon served as defense minister during Operation Peace for the Galilee (1982), and was found by the Kahan Commission to be personally responsible for the Sabra and Shatila Massacre (16 September-18 September, 1982). Sharon was forced to resign as defense minister after the Kahan Commission issued its report, but he was allowed to remain in Begin's cabinet. The 1982 Invasion of Lebanon, dubbed Operation Peace for Galilee, began June 6, 1982, when the Israel Defence Force invaded southern Lebanon in response to the Abu Nidal organizations assassination attempt against Israels ambassador to the United Kingdom, Shlomo Argov. ... The Kahan Commission (ועדת כהן), formally known as the Commission of Inquiry into the Events at the Refugee Camps in Beirut, was established by the Israeli government on 28 September 1982, to investigate the Sabra and Shatila Massacre (16 September-18 September, 1982). ... The Sabra and Shatila massacre (or Sabra and Chatila massacre; Arabic: مذبحة صبرا وشاتيلا) was a massacre carried out in September 1982 by the Christian Lebanese Forces militia group. ...

In 1998, after Benjamin Netanyahu ceded territory to the Palestinians in the Wye accords, several MKs split off from the Likud in an act of protest. Led by Benny Begin (Menachem Begin's son), Michael Kleiner and David Re'em, a new party named Herut – The National Movement was formed, gaining support from former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir (who had expressed harsh disappointment in Netanyahu's leadership). This article is about the modern State of Israel, not History of Zionism. ... Zeev Binyamin Benny Begin (Hebrew: , born 1 March 1943) is a former Israeli politician and the son of former Prime Minister of Israel Menachem Begin. ... Michael Kleiner Michael Kleiner (born April 4, 1948 in Munich, Germany) is an Israeli politician and leader of Herut: The National Movement. ... Herut – The National Movement (Hebrew: חרות – התנועה הלאומית, Herut – HaTenoaa HaLeumit), commonly known as just Herut, is a minor right-wing political party in Israel. ...

In 2001, following Palestinian attacks during the al-Aqsa Intifada, Ehud Barak lost the elections to Likud leader Ariel Sharon. At the 2003 elections the Likud doubled its power, rising to 40 mandates (out of 120) and securing power jobs in the government, ministries, public institutes and state bureaucracy. For other uses, see al-Aqsa (disambiguation). ... Ehud Barak (Hebrew: אֵהוּד בָּרָק) (born Ehud Brog on February 12, 1942) is an Israeli politician, former Prime Minster, and current Minister of Defense and leader of Israels Labor Party. ...

Sharon's entire tenure was marked by the Al-Aqsa Intifada and he ventured further away from the Likud's traditional values and association with the settler movement. In the summer of 2005, Sharon uprooted thousands of Jewish settlers from their homes in the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank in order to withdraw from the territory. For other uses, see al-Aqsa (disambiguation). ...

Kadima split

Ariel Sharon's perceived leftward shift to the political center, especially in his execution of the Disengagement Plan, alienated him from some Likud supporters and fragmented the party. He faced several serious challenges to his authority shortly before his departure. The first was in March 2005, when he and Netanyahu proposed a budget plan which met fierce opposition, though it was eventually approved. The second was in September 2005, when Sharon's critics in Likud forced a vote on a proposal for an early leadership election, which was defeated by 52% to 48%. In October, Sharon's opponents within the Likud Knesset faction joined with the opposition to prevent the appointment of two of his associates to the Cabinet, demonstrating that Sharon had effectively lost control of the Knesset and that the 2006 budget was unlikely to pass. Israels unilateral disengagement plan (also known as the disengagement plan, תוכנית ההינתקות) is a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to remove all permanent Israeli presence in the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria (part of what is known as The West Bank to the Palestinians, the UN, and...

The next month, Labor announced its withdrawal from Sharon's governing coalition following its election of the left wing Amir Peretz as leader. On 21 November 2005, Sharon announced he would be leaving Likud and forming a new centrist party, Kadima, and that elections would take place in early 2006. As of 21 November 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. Amir Peretz (Hebrew: עמיר פרץ; born March 9, 1952) is an Israeli politician and Defense Minister of Israel. ... Kadima (Hebrew: קדימה, Forward) is a political party in Israel. ... Uzi Landau (born August 2, 1943) is an Israeli Knesset member representing the Likud political party. ... Shaul Mofaz during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on November 10, 2003. ... Silvan Shalom Silvan Shalom ▶(?) (Hebrew סילבן שלום) (born 1958) is an Israeli politician and current Foreign Minister of Israel, having been appointed in 2003 by the current Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. ... Moshe Feiglin is an Israeli right-wing politician. ...

Under Netanyahu again

Netanyahu went on to win the Likud Party Chairman elections in December, obtaining 44.4% of the vote. Shalom came in a second with 33%, leading Netanyahu to guarantee him second place on the party's list of Knesset candidates. Shalom's perceived moderation on social and foreign-policy issues were considered to be an electoral asset. Observers noted that voter turnout in the elections was particularly low in comparison with past primaries, with less than 40 percent of the 128,000 party members casting ballots. There was much media focus on "far-right" candidate Moshe Feiglin achieving 12.4% of votes, who is the only candidate who aims to see Likud actually pursue the policies presented in its own official charter. Moshe Feiglin is an Israeli right-wing politician. ...

The founding of Kadima was a major challenge to the Likud's generation-long status as one of Israel's two major parties. Sharon's perceived centrist policies have drawn considerable popular support as reflected by public opinion polls. The Likud is now led by figures who oppose further unilateral evacuations, and its standing in the polls has suffered. After the founding of Kadima, Likud came to be seen as having more of a right-wing tendency than a moderate centre-right one. However there exist several parties in the knesset which are more right wing than the post-Ariel Sharon Likud.

A truck canvassing for Likud in Jerusalem in advance of the 2006 election

Prior to the 2006 elections the party's Central Committee relinquished control of selecting the Knesset list to the 'rank and file' members at Netanyahu's behest.^[2] The aim was to improve the party's reputation, as the central committee had gained a reputation for corruption.^[3] For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... The Elections for the 17th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 March 2006. ... The Elections for the 17th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 March 2006. ...

In the elections, the Likud vote collapsed in the face of the Kadima split. Other right-wing nationalist parties such as Yisrael Beiteinu gained votes, with Likud coming only fourth place in the popular vote, edging out Yisrael Beiteinu by only 116 votes. With only twelve seats, Likud is currently tied with the Shas for the status of third-largest party. Yisrael Beytenu ( Hebrew: Israel Our Home) is a right-wing political party in Israel with support from Jewish Russian immigrants to Israel who came from the lands of the former Soviet Union. ... Shas (Hebrew: ) is an political party in Israel, primarily representing Ultra-orthodox Sephardi and Mizrahi Judaism. ...

Likud is currently Israel's main opposition party with Benjamin Netanyahu Israel's Opposition Leader.

Leaders

• Menachem Begin 1973-1982
• Yitzhak Shamir 1983-1992
• Benjamin Netanyahu 1993-1999
• Ariel Sharon 1999-2005
• Benjamin Netanyahu 2005-present

  (‎, August 16, 1913 – March 9, 1992) was a Jewish-Polish head of the Zionist underground group the Irgun, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the first Likud Prime Minister of Israel. ...   (Hebrew יִצְחָק שָׁמִיר) (born October 15, 1915) was Prime Minister of Israel from 1983 to 1984 and again from 1986 to 1992. ...   (‎, Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu, born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel and is Chairman of the Likud Party. ...   (Hebrew: , also known by his diminutive Arik אָרִיק) (born February 27, 1928) is a former Israeli politician and general. ...   (‎, Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu, born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel and is Chairman of the Likud Party. ...

Current MKs

// (Blue = coalition parties, red = opposition parties) 1This title, called in Hebrew ממלא מקום ראש הממשלה (Memale Mekom Rosh HaMemshala, lit. ... Type Unicameral Speaker of the Knesset Dalia Itzik, Kadima since May 4, 2006 Deputy Speaker Majalli Wahabi, Kadima since May 4, 2006 Members 120 Political groups Kadima Labour-Meimad Shas Likud Last elections March 28, 2006 Meeting place Knesset, Jerusalem, Israel Web site www. ... Benjamin Netanyahu (also Binyamin, and in Israel commonly Bibi) (Hebrew: בנימין נתניהו) (born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel. ... Silvan Shalom Silvan Shalom â–¶(?) (Hebrew סילבן שלום) (born 1958) is an Israeli politician and current Foreign Minister of Israel, having been appointed in 2003 by the current Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. ... Moshe Kahlon (born November 11, 1960) is an Israeli Likud politician and former Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. ... Gilad Erdan (in Hebrew גלעד ארדן) (born September 30, 1970) is a member of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) from the Likud party. ... Gideon Saar (in Hebrew גדעון סער) (born September 12, 1966) is a member of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) from the Likud party. ... Reuven Rivlin (in Hebrew ראובן ריבלין) (born September 9, 1939) is an Israeli lawyer, politician and the current Speaker of the Knesset. ... Dr Yuval Steinitz (‎, born 10 April 1958), is an Israeli philosopher and politician who has been a Knesset member for the Likud party since 1999. ... Limor Livnat, Minister of Education, Culture and Sport Limor Livnat (לימור לבנת) (born in Haifa, September 22nd, 1950) is an Israeli Politician. ...

Other prominent members

Active:

• Moshe Feiglin (leader of the Manhigut Yehudit faction)
• David Levy

Past figures (deceased, retired or left Likud): Moshe Feiglin is an Israeli right-wing politician. ... Manhigut Yehudit (מנהיגות יהודית Jewish Leadership) is a movement started by Moshe Feiglin and Shmuel Sackett to lead the State of Israel with, in their words, authentic Jewish values. ... David Levy (also: David Levi) (born December 21, 1937) is an Israeli politician. ...

• Menachem Begin (1913 - 1992) ; former Prime Minister
• Benny Begin
• Geula Cohen
• Moshe Katsav; former President of Israel
• Michael Kleiner
• Uzi Landau
• Tzipi Livni; current Foreign Minister
• Shaul Mofaz; former Chief of the Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces and current Minister of Transportation
• Ehud Olmert ; former Mayor of Jerusalem and current Prime Minister of Israel
• Moshe Shamir (1921 - 2004) ; author, playwright
• Yitzhak Shamir ; former Prime Minister of Israel
• Natan Sharansky; former Russian dissident
• Ariel Sharon ; former Prime Minister and Likud party leader (September 1999 - November 2005)
• Ezer Weizman (1924-2005) ; former President of Israel

  (‎, August 16, 1913 – March 9, 1992) was a Jewish-Polish head of the Zionist underground group the Irgun, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the first Likud Prime Minister of Israel. ... The Prime Minister of Israel is the elected head of the Israeli government. ... Zeev Binyamin Benny Begin (Hebrew: , born 1 March 1943) is a former Israeli politician and the son of former Prime Minister of Israel Menachem Begin. ... Geula Cohen (גאולה כהן), born 25 December 1925 in Tel Aviv) is an Israeli politician. ... Moshe Katsav (Hebrew: , originally Mussa Ghassäb Persian: ; born December 5, 1945) is the eighth and current President of Israel (since 2000). ... The President of the State of Israel (‎, Nesi HaMedina, lit. ... Michael Kleiner Michael Kleiner (born April 4, 1948 in Munich, Germany) is an Israeli politician and leader of Herut: The National Movement. ... Uzi Landau (born August 2, 1943) is an Israeli Knesset member representing the Likud political party. ... U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney meets with Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tzipi Livni, at the White House. ... Shaul Mofaz during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on November 10, 2003. ... The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ההגנה לישראל Tsva Ha-Haganah Le-Yisrael ([Army] Force [for] the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces (army, air force and navy). ... Ehud Olmert (‎; Arabic: ‎; pronounced , born 30 September 1945) is the 12th and current Prime Minister of Israel. ... Moshe Shamir (September 15, 1921–August 20, 2004) was an Israeli author, playwright, opinion writer, and public figure. ...   (Hebrew יִצְחָק שָׁמִיר) (born October 15, 1915) was Prime Minister of Israel from 1983 to 1984 and again from 1986 to 1992. ... Natan Sharansky (Hebrew: נתן שרנסקי, Russian: Натан Борисович Щаранский; born January 20, 1948) is a notable former Soviet anticommunist, Zionist, Israeli politician and writer. ...   (Hebrew: , also known by his diminutive Arik אָרִיק) (born February 27, 1928) is a former Israeli politician and general. ... Ezer Weizman (עזר ויצמן) (Tel Aviv, June 15, 1924 – Caesarea Maritima, April 24, 2005) was the seventh President of the State of Israel (1993-2000). ... The President of the State of Israel (‎, Nesi HaMedina, lit. ...

See also

• List of Likud Knesset Members

List of Likud Knesset Members and the Knessets (the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem) in which they served: 8th Knesset Likud Members (31/12/1973 to 17/5/1977): Zalman Abramov; Moshe Arens; Yoram Aridor; Yohanan Bader; Yedidia Be`eri; Menahem Begin; Meir Cohen-Avidov; Geula Cohen; Yigal Cohen; Haim Corfo...

References

External links

• Official website (Hebrew)
• Likud Nederland (Dutch) (English)
• Party history Knesset website

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