Likud
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Likud or ליכוד literally means 'consolidation'. The Likud is a right-wing Israeli political party.
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History
The Likud's roots are Zeev Jabotinsky's Revisionist Zionist movement which became the Herut party and was the main opposition to the Labour Zionist Mapai party.
The Likud was formed by the joining together of La'am (made up of the Free Center, State List and the "Movement for Greater Israel") and Gahal (Gush Herut Liberalim) in preparation for the 1973 elections. It quickly became and remains to this day the conservative party in 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.
The first Likud prime minister was Menachem Begin (elected 1977). A former leader of the hard-line paramilitary Irgun, he helped initiate the peace process with Egypt, which resulted in the Camp David Accords and the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. The second was Yitzhak Shamir, who first became PM in October 1983 following Begin's resignation. The third was Benjamin Netanyahu, elected in May 1996. The fourth is Ariel Sharon, elected March 2001. Sharon served as defence minister during Operation Peace for the Galilee (1982). His entire tenure was marked by the Al-Aqsa Intifada. Sharon was re-elected in January 2003 and continues to serve as prime minister.
In 1998 a number of right wing members of Likud, including Benny Begin, son of the former Prime Minister, quit the party denouncing it as having become too moderate for having agreed to the Wye River Accords. They formed a new Herut party.
In 2001, following the terrorist attacks of the al-Aqsa Intifada, Ehud Barak lost the elections to Likud leader Ariel Sharon. On the 2003 elections the Likud has doubled its power, rising to 40 mandates (out of 120) and securing power jobs in the government, ministries, public institues and state bureucracy.
Famous members
Active:
- Moshe Feiglin (leader of the Manhigut Yehudit faction)
- Moshe Katsav (currently President of Israel)
- Uzi Landau
- David Levy
- Limor Livnat
- Shaul Mofaz (former RAMATKAL (Chief of the General Staff) in the Israeli Defence Forces and currently Defense Minister)
- Benjamin Netanyahu (former prime minister)
- Ehud Olmert
- Reuven "Rubi" Rivlin (currently speaker of the Knesset)
- Gideon Sa'ar
- Natan Sharansky
- Ariel Sharon ; (currently Prime Minister of Israel)
Past figures (deceased or retired):
- Menachem Begin (1913 - 1992) ; former prime minister
- Geula Cohen
- Zeev Jabotinsky (1880 - 1940)
- Moshe Shamir (1921 - 2004) ; author, playwright
- Yitzhak Shamir ; former prime minister
- Ezer Weizman ; former President of Israel
See also: List of Likud Knesset Members
Ideological Positions
Palestinian-related Issues
No single approach to Palestinian statehood, settlers, and the West Bank and Gaza Strip dominates Likud thought. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon supports a Palestinian state and evacuation of some settlements. Uzi Landau, Limor Livnat, and Netanyahu are strongly opposed to Palestinian statehood. Most Likud members strongly support the Israeli settlements in the territories.
Economy
The Likud claims to support free market capitalism, though in practice it has mostly adopted moderate economic policies, with neoliberal tendencies. The Likud, under the guidance of Finance minister Netanyahu, pushed through legislation reducing the VAT, income and corporate taxes significantly, as well as the customs duty. Likewise, it has instituted free-trade (especially with the EU and the US) and dismantled certain monopolies (Bezeq and the sea ports). Additionally, it has managed to privatize numerous government owned companies (Elal and Bank Leumi). The last Finance minister Netanyahu, the most ardent free-market minister to-date, argues that Israel's largest labor union, the Histadrut, has so much power as to paralyze the Israeli economy. He also claims that the main causes of unemployment are laziness and excessive benefits to the unemployed.
Culture
The Likud promotes a revival of Jewish-oriented culture, in keeping with the principles of revisionist zionism.
The Likud emphasize such nationalist themes as the flag and the heroism that won Israel's 1948 war with seven Arab states. Many members/leaders of the Likud have held high positions in the IDF. The Likud advocates teaching values in childhood education. Likud endorses press freedom, and promotion of private-sector media, which has grown markedly under governments Likud has led.
Current Status
Likud originally enjoyed great support from blue-collar Sephardim who felt discriminated against by the ruling Mapai (Labour) party. To this day the Likud's strong support base remains amongst Sephardim and kippah sruga (middle-of-the-road) Orthodox.
Likud holds 40 seats (out of 120) in the 16th Knesset.
Ariel Sharon's shift to a more centrist position on political issues, especially expressed in his Disengagement Plan, has alienated him from many Likud supporters and effectively fragmented the party. He faced two challenges: in March 2005, Netanyahu and himself proposed a budget plan, which met fierce opposition and threatened to collapse the government. It was approved in the end. In September 2005, Likud held a vote to determine if early elections would be held. Sharon won by a narrow margin (51% as opposed to Netanyahu's 48%), and thus eliminated the threat of early elections.
