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Date: 2015-10-07; view: 508.

YESH ATID

This new political party was set up by the former television news anchor, Yair Lapid, when he left his job last year. His father was also a journalist who headed the Shinui Party, which no longer exists. Mr Lapid claims to represent the secular centre in Israel and opposes the power wielded by religious parties in government.

• Leader: Yair Lapid

• Founded: 2012

• Politics: secular centrist

• Number of members in 18th Knesset: none

• Yesh Atid home page

In particular, Mr Lapid argues that ultra-Orthodox Jews, who make up about 10% of the Israeli population, should share the social burden. They currently enjoy exemptions from military service and welfare benefits that enable men to devote themselves to religious study.

The Yesh Atid (There is a Future) leader also insists that the prime minister should hold substantive peace talks with the Palestinians. Negotiations stalled over two years ago because of the issue of Jewish settlements on occupied land. Mr Lapid backs a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict that would involve almost a complete withdrawal from the West Bank so that only the main settlement blocs would be retained. However he opposes any division of Jerusalem, which both Israel and the Palestinians claim as their capital.