Raam Taal

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 539.

Meretz

Balad

HADASH

UNITED TORAH JUDAISM

Two smaller Israeli ultra-Orthodox parties, Degel Hatorah (Flag of the Torah) and Agudat Israel (Union of Israel) formed an alliance to create United Torah Judaism in 1992. It took five seats in the 2009 elections. The faction is non-Zionist and on principle only accepts deputy minister positions in government. Its leader, Yaakov Litzman is deputy health minister. United Torah Judaism works for the interests of the ultra-Orthodox in education and social welfare as well as on specific issues such as national military service.

Hadash, a Hebrew acronym for The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality, is a Jewish and Arab socialist grouping that was set up in 1977. It took four seats in the last Knesset. The party supports a two-state solution, increases in the minimum wage and benefits and ending privatisation of government companies. Led by Mohammad Barakeh, it also promotes cooperation between Jews and Arabs and the rights of women, minorities and workers.

Balad means nation in Arabic and is also an acronym in Hebrew for the National Democratic Assembly. A leftist, anti-Zionist party that promotes Arab nationalism, Balad had three seats in the previous parliament. It was set up in 1995. The Balad MK Hanin Zoabi stirred up controversy by joining activists on the Mavi Marmara trying to break Israel's naval blockade on the Gaza Strip. After Israel's Central Election Committee barred Ms Zoabi from running in this vote she appealed to the Supreme Court, which overturned the decision. The party is led by Jamal Zahalka.

Meretz, meaning energy, was created from an alliance between three left-wing parties - Mapam, Shinui and Ratz in 1992. Its ideology is Zionist and it advocates Israeli withdrawal from the occupied West Bank and a comprehensive new peace agreement. The party also has demands of social justice, environmentalism and greater religious freedom in Israel. It is led by Zahava Gal-On and has three seats in the current Knesset.

A joint list for Raam, the United Arab List, and Taal, the Arab Movement for Renewal. The parties merged to try to increase the representation of Arab-Israelis in parliament. The party was formed in 2006, is led by Ibrahim Sarsour and Ahmed Tibi and has four seats in the current Knesset.

OTHER PARTIES:

• Ichud Leumi
• Otzma Leyisrael
• Arab Democratic Party