Israeli Election Source Kit

Party Contacts
Election Experts Contacts
Israel’s Political Parties (in alphabetical order)
Live Webcast of the 9th Herzliya Conference
TIP Israeli Election Event Debate – Audio File
Israel Democracy Institute’s “Israel Election Compass”
 

Israelis will go to the polls Feb. 10 to choose a new government. Voters may pick from an array of parties spanning the political spectrum. The party that wins the most seats in the 120-member Knesset (Israeli parliament) will be given the opportunity by the Israeli president to form a new coalition government.[1]

Since Israel declared a ceasefire putting an end to its Gaza operation Jan. 18 – but reserving the right to fire back if attacked -, Hamas and other Iran-backed terrorist organizations have fired more than 30 rockets and mortars at Israel.[2] This morning (Feb. 3), a Katyusha rocket hit the city of Ashkelon. [3] The attacks came despite Hamas’s own promise of a ceasefire, also Jan. 18.

In the meantime, Hamas leaders have been in Iran holding discussions with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other senior government figures. During his visit to Tehran on Feb. 2, Hamas leader-in-exile Khaled Mashaal expressed his thanks to Ahmadinejad, saying, “Iran has definitely played a big role in the victory of the people of Gaza and is a partner in that victory,” referring to Iran’s financial and military support of Hamas. He also added, “The people of Gaza ... have always appreciated the political and spiritual support of Iranian leaders and [their] nation.”[4]

Since the end of Israel’s operation, Hamas has wasted no time in rearming. A ship bearing a Cypriot flag and carrying Iranian weapons, including artillery and mortar shells, was recently stopped and boarded by the U.S. Navy in the Red Sea on suspicion that the arms were destined for Hamas. The U.S. Navy stated that it could not legally seize the weapons but the ship docked in Cyprus where it is now being fully searched at the request of the United States.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said it is possible that some of the munitions were destined for Syria but went on to say, “The question is whether they contain other things intended for Hezbollah or Hamas.” Arms trade with Iran is prohibited by UN Security Council resolution 1747, adopted in March 2007.[5] On Jan. 16, the United States and Israel also signed a “Memorandum of Understanding” (MOU) – a U.S.-Israeli document aimed at halting arms smuggling. The MOU “provides a series of the steps that the U.S. and Israel will take to stem the flow of weapons and explosives into Gaza,” former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said. [6] 

Party Contacts

Balad (National Democratic Party)
Tareq Berkdar
Cell: 054-429-0725
Website: http://www.tajamoa.org/ (Arabic, English, Hebrew)

Gil – The Pensioners Party
Danny Borowitz
Cell: 052-812-0202
E-mail: dborowitz@gmail.com
Website: http://www.gimlaim.org.il/ (Hebrew)

Green Movement -Meimad
Nir Hirshman
Cell: 054-444-7962
E-mail: Nir.hirshman@gmail.com
Website: http://hayeruka-meimad.org.il/ (Hebrew, English, Russian, Arabic)

The Greens
Ido Tandovsky
Cell: 050-255-5489
E-mail: Visner_p@mail.tel-aviv.gov.il
Website: http://www.green-party.co.il/Election2009/ (Hebrew, English, French, Russian)

HaAvodah (Labor)
Yoav Sivan
Cell: 054-220-4002
E-mail: yoav@YoavSivan.com; yoav76@gmail.com
Website: http://www.havoda.org.il/ (Hebrew)

Hadash
Yoana Gonen
Cell: 050-793-6216
E-mail: uprise@gmail.com
Hisham Naff'a
054-285-9122
Website: http://hadash2009.org.il/ (Hebrew, Arabic)

The Jewish Home-The New National Religious Party
Prof. Daniel Hershkowitz
Cell: 054-462-2045
E-mail: Hershkow@gmail.com
Website: http://www.111.org.il/ (Hebrew)

Kadima
Maya Jacobs
Cell: 052-386-1615
E-mail: mayajacobs@gmail.com
Website: http://www.kadima.org.il/ (Hebrew, Russian)

Likud
Ron Dermer
Cell: 054-462-2652
E-mail: rondermer@mac.com
Dina Libster
Cell: 054-561-5793
E-mail: dina@netanyahu.org.il
Website: http://www.netanyahu.org.il/ (Hebrew, English, Russian)

Meretz-Yachad
Maly Cohen-Braier
Cell: 050-320-7800
E-mail: malycb@myparty.org.il
Website: http://www.myparty.org.il/aspx/default.aspx (Hebrew)

National Union
Naama Cohen
Cell: 050-8670982
E-mail: namch24@gmail.com
Website: http://www.leumi.org.il/ (Hebrew, English, French, Russian)

Ra'am-Ta'al (United Arab List & Arab Movement For Renewal)
Kiffah Abed Alhalim
Cell: 054-554-8583
Shaheen Sarsour
Cell: 052-528-2558
Website: http://www.a-m-c.org/?path=article&file=archive (Arabic)

Shas
Roei Lachmanovich
Cell: 050-6240925
Website: http://www.shasnet.org.il/Front/Pages/pages.asp (Hebrew)

United Torah Judaism
Chaim Yustman
Cell: 050-412-1212
057-312-1212
E-mail: chaim@ichud.org

Yisrael Beytenu
Irena Etinger
Cell: 054-807-7410
E-mail: etingeri@gmail.com
Website: http://beytenu.org.il/ (Hebrew, English, Russian)


Election Experts Contacts

Israel-based Experts

Yehuda Ben-Meir
Affiliation: Institute for National Security Studies, Tel Aviv University; former Member of Knesset
Field: Israeli domestic politics; civil-military relations in Israel; Israeli public opinion; author of “National Security Decision making: The Israeli Case”
Tel.: 972-3-640-0400 ext. 469
Tel.: 972-50-380-8849
E-mail: benmeir@inss.org.il

Arye Carmon
Affiliation: President of the Israel Democracy Institute
Field: Israeli politics; political reform, education in Israel
Cell: 054-551-1151

Reuven Chazan
Affiliation: Associate Professor in Political Science Department of Hebrew University
Field: Comparative politics; political parties and party systems; electoral laws; legislative studies; Israeli politics.
Cell: 972-54-057-0104
E-mail: mshazan@mscc.huji.ac.il

Avraham Diskin
Affiliation: Associate Professor of Political Science, Hebrew University
Field: Government and politics of Israel; electoral and constitutional reform
Tel.: 972-2-588-3060
972-2-566-1323
Cell: 972-52-362-9990
E-mail: mshanna@mscc.huji.ac.il

Gideon Doron
Affiliation: Professor of Political Science, Tel Aviv University; former President of the Israeli Association of Political Scientists
Field: Government and politics of Israel; mass communications; public policy; electoral reform and constitutional change
Tel.: 972-3-640-7394
E-mail: gideond@post.tau.ac.il

Dr. Orit Galilee
Affiliation: Doctor of Political Science at Bar Ilan University,
A strategic consultant for the Labor party and a former journalist for the Hebrew daily Haaretz
Field: Israel’s political map, political leadership in Israel, politics and the media
Tel.: 972-50-554-3577
E-mail: oritga@mail.biu.ac.il

Paul Frosh
Affiliation: Lecturer in Communications and Journalism Department at Hebrew University
Field: Israeli public opinion; cultural production; nationhood; mass media
Tel.: 02-588-3213
E-mail: msfrosh@mscc.huji.ac.il

Itzhak Galnoor
Affiliation: Herbert Samuel Professor of Political Science, Hebrew University
Deputy Chair of the Israeli Council for Higher Education
Field: Israeli administration and politics; comparative politics; political communication; political humor; Israeli political system; territory and boundaries; Israeli democracy
Tel.: 972-2-588-3160
972-2-560-5256
Home: 972-2-641-2406
E-mail: itzhakg@vanleer.org.il

Ze’ev Hanin
Affiliation: Doctor of Political Science at Bar-Ilan University
Fields: Immigrant political parties, mainly from the former USSR
Tel: 972-52-380-7851
Home: 972-2-999-0782
E-mail: Zeevkh@gmail.com

Ephraim Inbar
Affiliation: Professor of Political Science at bar Ilan University and Director of the Begin Sadat Center for Strategic Studies
Field: Electoral politics; Israeli national security issues
Tel.: 03-535-9198
Cell: 054-660-3409

Peter Medding
Affiliation: Professor, Department of Political Science, Hebrew University
Field: Israeli politics, political parties and organized interests
Tel.: 972-2-563-5105
Cell: 972-54-442-5059
E-mail: mspeter@mscc.huji.ac.il

Gideon Rahat
Affiliation: Doctor of Political Science at Hebrew University
Field: Israeli political parties, candidate selection methods, electoral laws, Israeli politics
Tel.: 972-2-570-1410
Cell: 972-52-364-2541

Shmuel Sandler
Affiliation: Professor of Political Science at Bar Ilan University
Field: Israeli electoral politics; US politics, Israel-Palestinian conflict
Tel.: 972-3-531-7201
Cell: 972-54-467-4597

Tamir Shaefer
Affiliation: Professor in Department of Communications and Department of Political Science, Hebrew University
Field: Political communication, media and political campaigns, media and public diplomacy
Cell: 972-52-286-1501
E-mail: msstamir@mscc.huji.ac.il

Michal Shamir
Affiliation: Professor of Political Science, Tel Aviv University
Field: Israeli Politics, Comparative Politics, Public Opinion, Political Psychology; author of The Elections in Israel (ongoing series).
Tel: 972-3-640-7406

US-based Experts

Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi
Affiliation: Founder & President, The Israel Project
Tel: 202-857-6644
Cell: 202-365-0787
Email: jenniferm@theisraelproject.org  

Mitchell Bard
Affiliation: Executive Director, American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise
Field: Israeli history; Israeli-American relations
Tel: 301-565-3918
Email: mgbard@aol.com  

Lanny J. Davis
Affiliation: Former Senior Advisor and Spokesman, The Israel Project
Tel: (301) 928-7532
Cell: (202) 339-8442
Pager: 1-888-997-3706
Email: ldavis@orrick.com  

Malcolm Hoenlein
Affiliation: Executive Vice Chairman, Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations
Field: Israeli-American relations
Office: 212-318-6111
Email: info@conferenceofpresidents.org

Jonathan Peled (English & Spanish)
Affiliation: Spokesman, Israeli Embassy
Cell: (202) 276-2800
Email: sp@washington.mfa.gov.il  

Prof. Yoram Peri
Affiliation: Dollye and Woldrod Berman Visiting Professor, Center for Israel Studies at American University
Field: Israeli army, media and politics in Israel, Yitzhak Rabin, Middle East peace process
Tel: 202-885-3682
Email: yperi@american.edu


US-Israel Relations Experts

Daniel Diker
Affiliation: Director of Institute for Contemporary Affairs at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA); serves as Knesset Affairs correspondent for Israel Broadcasting Authority’s English news.
Field: Contemporary Middle Eastern affairs, Internal Palestinian conflict in Gaza, freedom of press in Palestinian territories
Contact via Adam Shay, JCPA Project Coordinator
Tel.: 972-2-561-9281; 972-2-563-2947

Dore Gold
Affiliation: Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs; Former principal foreign policy advisor to Ariel Sharon; Former Israeli ambassador to U.N
Field: International affairs; Israel-US relations; Jerusalem in the context of the Israel-Palestinian conflict; the UN
Contact via Adam Shay, JCPA Project Coordinator
Tel.: 972-2-561-9281; 972-2-563-2947
jcpa@netvision.net.il


Professor Barry Rubin
Affiliation: Research Director of the Herzliya Inter Disciplinary Center’s Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy; editor of the journal Turkish Studies; member of the editorial board of Middle East Quarterly; Senior fellow at the Interdisciplinary Center's International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism
Field: Syrian foreign and domestic affairs, relations with Iran and Hezbollah, Arab-Israeli conflict, Islamic Fundamentalism in Egypt, Inter Arab Affairs, Israeli Foreign and Security Policy
Tel: 972-3-531-8959
Email: profbarryrubin@yahoo.com

Dr. Jonathan Rynhold
Affiliation: Lecturer in political science at Bar Ilan University
Field: Specializes in Israeli policy, regarding the separation barrier and the, disengagement plan, in U.S.-Israel relations, and in Middle East-Far East relations. Affiliation: Bar Ilan University
Cell: 972-54-577-5817
Tel.: 972-3-531-8873
E-mail: rynhold@mail.biu.ac.il

Prof. Joshua Teitelbaum
Affiliation: Senior research fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies, Senior Lecturer in the Middle Eastern History at Tel Aviv University, visiting associate professor of political science at Stanford University.
Field: U.S.-Israel relations, history and politics of the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia and the Palestinians.
Cell: 972-54-431-2980
 

Israel’s Political Parties (in alphabetical order)

The Jewish Home

Chairman: Rabbi Professor Daniel Hershkowitz

The Jewish Home was originally set up in November 2008 as a coalition of a number of right-wing national religious parties including Moledet, the National Religious Party and Tkuma. However, the different factions disputed the positions allocated to the candidates on the electoral list, leading the Moledet party and some members of Tkuma to split off to re-form the National Union party with another rightist faction, Hatikva. The Jewish Home now consists of what was the National Religious Party with elements of the Tkuma party.[1]

The Jewish Home is opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state on the West Bank and states that Jerusalem “is the eternal capital of the Jewish people and the state of Israel solely, and will not be divided.” The party’s platform also says that the settlements in the West Bank are important for Israel’s security, should not be uprooted in the future and should remain under Israel’s sovereignty. [2]

The Jewish Home states that it supports the privatization of government companies and will also demand to reduce manpower in the public sector. The party seeks to reduce taxes that it says hold back economic growth and encourage tax relief for productive sectors of the economy. The party also supports tax relief for large families and seeks to pass legislation on this issue.[3]

On religious life in Israel, The Jewish Home says that it will “fight for the Jewish identity of the state on every level: culture, character, personal status, society and legislation, as a Jewish and democratic state.” Regarding issues such as civil marriage, The Jewish Home says that it will act to strengthen the current status quo, which does not permit civil marriage but will also seek alternative solutions for this “sensitive” issue.[4]

Current Members of Knesset   

• Uri Yehuda Ariel
• Eliahu Gabbay
• Zvi Hendel
• Zevulun Orlev
• Nissan Slomiansky 

List of Candidates 

1. Daniel Hershkowitz
2. Zevulun Orlev
3. Uri Orbach
4. Nissan Slomiansky
5. Shalom Jerby
6. Liora Minke

Hadash

Chairman: Mohammad Barakeh

Hadash is the Hebrew acronym for “The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality” and the Hebrew word for “new.” It is a left-wing party with roots in Israel’s Communist party and defines itself as a “Jewish-Arab party.” The main points of Hadash’s platform include an Israeli withdrawal to pre-1967 borders; establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel; the separation of religion and state; promoting the rights of Arab citizens in Israel; a Palestinian “right of return” to Israeli territory; encouraging Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; and lobbying for workers’ rights. Hadash has a predominantly Arab electorate.[5]

Current Members of Knesset:  

• Mohammad Barakeh
• Dov Khenin
• Hanna Swaid [6] 

List of Candidates: 

1. Mohammad Barakeh
2. Hanna Swaid
3. Dov Khenin
4. Afu Agbariih
5. Aaida Toma—uleiman
6. Nurit Hagag
7. Dakhil Hamed
8. Dr. Abdullan Abu Maruf
9. Pedro Goldfarb [7]

Kadima

Chairwoman: Tzipi Livni

Kadima (Forward in English) was formed in 2005 following Israel’s disengagement from the Gaza Strip by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who was at that time the leader of the Likud party. The decision to withdraw from Gaza caused a rift within Likud. Sharon set up the Kadima party in November 2005, bringing with him a number of senior politicians from the Likud and Labor parties, as well as public figures new to political party life. On Jan. 4, 2006, Sharon suffered a brain hemorrhage which left him permanently incapacitated.[8] Ehud Olmert, then deputy prime minister, became acting prime minister and led the party to victory in the 2006 general elections, in which Kadima became the largest party in the Knesset and Olmert the prime minister.[9]

On July 30, 2008, Olmert announced that he would not run in the Kadima party leadership elections and would resign as prime minister due to ongoing corruption allegations against him.[10] Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni won the leadership contest, beating contenders Shaul Mofaz, Meir Sheetrit and Avi Dichter and becoming the party’s chairwoman.[11]

Kadima’s political platform involves making territorial concessions to achieve a peace settlement and the establishment of a Palestinian state. Kadima’s party platform calls for a peace agreement that will create permanent boundaries with Israel’s neighboring states, while maintaining a “united Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.”[12]

Aside from the issues of national security and diplomacy, Kadima states that it will continue to advance a moderate, market-based economy but “will create the physical and human infrastructures necessary to rectify existing market failures.” The party also says that it will reduce the percentage of GDP allocated to public sector spending. [13]

On religious issues, Kadima’s manifesto states that all individuals should have the right to incorporate religion into their daily life as they see fit and in accordance with their worldview. As such, the party seeks to enact and enforce laws providing for civil burials and resolve the issue of Israeli couples seeking civil marriages who are currently unable to get married inside Israel. [14]

Current Members of Knesset: Eli Aflalo, Ruhama Avraham, Balila, Ronnie Bar-On, Isaac Ben-Israel, Menahem Ben-Sasson, Ze`ev Boim, Abraham Dichter, Amira Dotan, Jacob Edery, Zeev Elkin, Gideon Ezra, Tzachi Hanegbi, Yoel Hasson, Shai Hermesh, Abraham Hirchson, Dalia Itzik,Tzipi Livni, Shaul Mofaz, Shlomo (Neguse) Molla, Michael Nudelman, Ehud Olmert, Yohanan Plesner, Haim Ramon, Otniel Schneller, Meir Sheetrit, Marina Solodkin, David Tal, Ronit Tirosh, Majalli Whbee.  

List of Candidates: (Top ten out of 120) 

1. Tzipi Livni
2. Shaul Mofaz
3. Dalia Itzik
4. Tahi Hanegbi
5. Ronie Bar-On
6. Ze’ev Boim
7. Meir Sheetrit
8. Ruhama Avraham
9. Avi Dichter
10. Marina Solodnik [15]

Labor

Chairman: Ehud Barak

The center-left Labor Party, and its predecessor party Mapai, has been one of Israel's most dominant political forces since the founding of the state in 1948, leading coalitions uninterrupted until 1977. 

In 2005, Labor joined the Likud coalition to implement Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and, following the elections in 2006, joined Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s government as Kadima’s largest coalition party with 19 of the 120 Knesset seats.[16]

The Labor party held its primary election on Dec. 4, 2008 to determine which candidates would appear on the party’s national list.

The Labor candidate list contains two newcomers to the political realm, Daniel Ben Simon, a former journalist for Ha’aretz  in the eleventh slot and Einat Wilf, a writer and activist, who is No. 14 on the list.[17]

The top five slots are filled with Labor veterans, with Defense Minister Ehud Barak chairing the party, Social Services and Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog in second position and current Knesset members Ophir Pines-Paz, Avishai Braverman, and Shelly Yechimovich in third, fourth, and fifth, respectively. 

Labor is in favor of continued negotiations with the Palestinians in order to reach a peace settlement and the establishment of a Palestinian state. A final settlement under Labor would include dismantling many isolated settlements. Labor leader and Defense Minister Ehud Barak has also intimated that he is willing to allow Palestinian sovereignty over some Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem and the establishment of the capital of the Palestinian state in East Jerusalem. The Labor platform emphasizes liberal social and economic policies and a strong defense. [18]

On economic issues the party is opposed to some of the economic liberalism which has dominated Israel’s recent economic policies. The party manifesto says that it seeks to increase the minimum wage and ensure the effective enforcement of labor laws. In addition, Labor will act to reduce social gaps in income, education and quality of housing. The party is against tax cuts and would raise taxes on high earners. [19]

On religious issues the Labor party says that it will work to “implement a new accord between the secular and religious based on the strengthening of Jewish identity through educational means, rather than through legislative coercion.”[20]

Members of Knesset: Colette Avital, Ami Ayalon, Binyamin (Fouad) Ben-Eliezer, Avishay Braverman, Eitan Cabel, Isaac Herzog, Nadia Hilou, Leon Litinetsky, Raleb Majadele, Yoram Marciano, Michael Melchior, Orit Noked, Amir Peretz, Ophir Pines-Paz, Shachiv Shnaan, Shalom Simhon, Yuli Tamir, Matan Vilnai, Shelly Yacimovich

List of Candidates: (ten out of 120) 

1. Ehud Barak
2. Isaac Herzog
3. Opher Pines-Paz
4. Avishay Braverman
5. Shelley Yacimovich
6. Matan Vilnai
7. Eitan Cabel
8. Binyamin (Fouad) Ben-Elizer
9. Yuli Tamir
10. Amir Peretz [21]

Likud

Chairman: Benjamin Netanyahu

Likud (meaning consolidation) is Israel’s major conservative party and the main opposition party in the current Knesset. Led by Menachem Begin, Likud came to power in the 1977 elections after 28 years in opposition.

Likud states it will conduct negotiations with the Palestinians regarding a peace settlement, conditioned on reciprocal efforts to stop terrorist activities against Israeli civilians. Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he would not approve any deal involving a complete Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 borders and the division of Jerusalem. The party platform also states that it will “insist that the responsibility for the security of the citizens of the State of Israel remains firmly in the hands of the State and that Israel reserves the right to defend its borders.”

The Likud party advocates a free-market economy. The party manifesto states that it “advocates a free economy that is sensitive to social concerns.”[22] The party has taken a conservative stance regarding issues such as civil marriage and has stated “any compromise on the subject of civil marriage has to be acceptable to all sectors of Israeli society.”[23]

The Likud held its primary election on Dec. 8, 2008, electing mostly seasoned veterans to the Knesset list.[24] Benny Begin, a former science minister and son of Israel’s sixth prime minister, Menachem Begin, completed his return to politics after leaving the Likud in 1999, taking the fifth slot on the Likud list, behind party chairman Benjamin Netanyahu, and veterans Gideon Saar, Gilad Erdan and Reuven Rivlin. Moshe Yaalon, the former IDF Chief of Staff was eighth on the list.[25]

Members of Knesset: Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, Michael Eitan, Gilad Erdan, Moshe Kahlon, Haim Katz, Yisrael Katz, Limor Livnat, Benjamin Netanyahu, Reuven Rivlin, Gideon Sa`ar, Silvan Shalom, Yuval Steinitz [26]

List of Candidates: (ten of 120) 

1. Benjamin Netanyahu
2. Gideon Sa’ar
3. Gilad Erdan
4. Reuven Rivlin
5. Bennie Begin
6. Moshe Kahlon
7. Silvan Shalom
8. Moshe (Bogi) Ya’alon
9. Uval Steinitz
10. Leah Nes [27]

Meretz-Yachad

Chairman: Chaim Oron

Meretz-Yachad (meaning vitality-together) is a left-wing alliance that supports a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians based on a two-state solution. Meretz was formed in 1992 as a coalition of the veteran social-democratic party Mapam, civil rights party Ratz and Shinui, an electoral reform and anti-religious coercion party.

Its manifesto states “Our role as Meretz-Yachad is…to put an end to the occupation, to evacuate the settlers and the IDF from the territories, and to set the state back on the right track.”[28] Regarding Jerusalem, the Meretz-Yahad platform states that the city “will be the capital of two states existing side by side.” The party is also concerned with human rights issues, minority rights, women’s rights, social justice and environmentalism.[29]

Domestically, Meretz-Yahad advocates a left-wing approach to economic policies stating that the party seeks to work though a welfare state system to guarantee working people extensive social services and access to sources of employment. [30]

The party states that it views the full integration of Israeli-Arabs into Israeli society as a crucial goal. Meretz supports a variety of projects to promote this goal, such as the Center for Jewish-Arab Economic Development and the Givat Haviva Institute, a coexistence education institute.^[31]

Meretz-Yachad attained five seats in the 2006 elections but was not part of the governing coalition. In July 2008, the party joined with the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party in votes of no confidence against the government.[32]

Members of Knesset:  

• Tsvia Greenfeld,
• Ran Cohen,
• Zahava Gal-On
• Chaim Oron
• Avshalom Vilan [33] 

 List of Candidates: (10 of 14) 

1. Chaim Oron
2. Elon Gilon
3. Nitzan Horowitz
4. Zahava Gal-On
5. Maso Raz
6. Avshalom Vilan
7. Talia Sasson
8. Zvia Greenfield
9. Tzali Reshef
10. Aiswi Frig [34]

National Democratic Party (Balad)

Chairman: Jamal Zahalka

Balad (a Hebrew acronym for National Democratic Party) is an Arab-Israeli party that was established in 1996. Balad’s platform advocates for an Israeli state which is not Jewish in character. The party also urges an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 borders and the establishment of a Palestinian state living alongside Israel.[35] Balad’s manifesto states it supports “the evacuation of all of the settlements and the removal of the racist separation fence.” Balad also states that East Jerusalem be established as the capital of a Palestinian state and the return of Palestinian refugees and their descendants to Israel. Balad demands that the Israeli government grant Arabs full autonomy in such areas as culture and education.[36]

Balad’s economic policies are left-of–center, supporting “the adoption of a just tax policy aimed at the equitable distribution of social resources, including a capital gains tax and a policy of tax cuts in general − particularly for low-wage workers.”[37]

In 2006, Balad Chairman Azmi Bishara led his party to the Knesset, winning three seats. However, in Israel’s 2006 defensive war against Hezbollah - the Second Lebanon War - Bishara came under suspicion for treason and aiding Hezbollah. Evidence gathered by Israel’s internal security agency suggests that Bishara was in contact with Hezbollah agents.[38] Following the accusations and interrogations, Bishara left the country and resigned from his position in the Knesset. He is still wanted in Israel for further questioning.[39]

In January 2009, the Israeli Central Elections Committee banned Balad and Ra’am Tal, another Arab-Israeli party, from participating in the elections, accusing the parties of incitement, supporting terrorist groups and refusing to recognize Israel's right to exist. The Supreme Court subsequently revoked the ban, allowing the party to stand in the elections. Israel has in the past banned extreme right-wing parties from running in elections such as the Kach party of Meir Kahane.[40]

Members of Knesset:  

• Said Naffaa
• Wasil Taha
• Jamal Zahalka  

List of Candidate 

1. Jamal Zahalka
2. Said Naffaa
3. Hanin Zuabi
4. Riad Anis
   
   

National Union

Chairman: Yaacov Katz 

The National Union Party is a right-wing coalition of a number of smaller religious-zionist parties including Moledet, Hatikvah and elements of the Tkuma party. In the 2006 elections, the National Union Party ran on a joint list with the National Religious Party and the coalition took nine seats in the Knesset.^[41] The National Union states that Israel should maintain control of the territories captured in 1967 and formally annex them. The party is opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank saying that it “opposes the establishment of another state in addition to the State of Israel anywhere in the Land of Israel west of Jordan.” The party also opposes any division of Jerusalem. 

The National Union supports “a free market economy with limited government intervention and initiatives” and states that “It is necessary to eliminate market borders and limit state intervention.” 

The party promotes the advancement of Israel’s Jewish identity and its manifesto declares “it is natural and clear that Israel should respect the beliefs of the Jewish people, including the Sabbath, the Jewish holidays, Kashrut (Jewish dietary laws), conversion according to Halacha (Jewish law), marriage and divorce.”[42] 

Members of Knesset:     

• Arieh Eldad
• Benyamin Elon  

List of Candidates:  

1. Yaacov Katz
2. Uri Yehuda Ariel
3. Professor Arieh Eldad
4. Michael Ben Ari
5. Uri Bank
6. Alon Davidi
7. Avi Ret
8. Dr. Ron Braimon
9. Betzalel Smutritz
10. Ilan Cohen [43]

Pensioners (Gil) 

Chairman: Rafi Eitan

Founded in 2006,[44] the Pensioners’ party or Gil (“Age” in Hebrew) came to prominence in Tel Aviv’s 2003 municipal elections.[45] In the national 2006 elections, the Pensioners won seven seats in the Knesset in its first-ever parliamentary race.[46] The party received significant support from Israeli youth who supported it as a protest against parties marred by political scandals and corruption.[47] The chairman of the Pensioners’ Party is ex-Mossad chief Rafi Eitan, who was the architect behind the capture of Nazi war criminal Adolph Eichmann.[48] The Pensioners’ party runs on a platform that calls for increasing pension benefits for the 750,000 retirees who receive pensions in Israel.[49] Other central goals include improved medical care for the elderly, guaranteed pensions, and subsidized public housing. [50] 

The party adopts a centrist stance with regard to the peace process with the Palestinians and has suggested that it is open to territorial compromise and the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state. Eitan is opposed, however, to allowing East Jerusalem to become the Palestinian capital.[51]

Members of Knesset: Rafi Eitan, Yakov Ben Yizri, Yitzhak Galenti, Yitzhak Ziv, Elhanan Glazer, Sara Marom Shalev, Moshe Sharoni [52] 

 List of candidates:  

1. Rafi Eitan
2. Gideon Reicher
3. Yossi Katz
4. Yaakov Ben Yizri
5. Shimrit Ohr
6. Uri Chanoch 
7. Avraham Tuval
8. Yehoshua Peretz
9. Yoram Kleiner
10. Meidad Geisin  

Shas

Party Chairman: Eli Yishai

Shas is a religious party whose constituency largely comprises Jews of Middle Eastern descent (Sephardim or Mizrachim). Shas was founded in 1984 and came to prominence in 1992 when, headed by the charismatic Arieh Deri, it joined then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s government. In the 2006 elections, Shas took 12 seats, making it the third-largest party (after Kadima and Labor) and a major force in Kadima’s governing coalition.[53] Current leader Eli Yishai has led the party since 1999 and served as a deputy prime minister and interior minister in Ariel Sharon’s government.[54] In the current government, Yishai has held the position of Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor and the party holds another three cabinet positions.

Shas’s main objectives focus on religious life in Israel. One of the most important policies on Shas’s agenda is the provision of religious education to its constituents, often in poorer areas, along with other social welfare programs.[55] For instance, Shas has pressed the government to increase child welfare payments.[56] Most of Shas’s supporters are Mizrachim, a group that traditionally felt sidelined by Israel’s main political parties which have historically been populated by Jews of European origin. (In this election, Mizrachim hold 40 percent of the top 20 slots in the main parties). 

Shas is nominally opposed to any territorial concessions from Israel. Nevertheless, the party remained in Olmert’s governing coalition when he went to Annapolis to restart negotiations with the Palestinians despite Olmert’s stance that a Palestinian state should be created in the West Bank. The party is staunchly opposed to any concession on Jerusalem, insisting that it remain the undivided capital of Israel.[57]

Shas’s economic policies are based on increasing social welfare in opposition to free market reforms. The party’s manifesto states that the “Shas movement supports the strengthening of Israel as a welfare state established on the values of equality, social justice and communal solidarity.” [58]

Members of Knesset: Chaim Amsellem, Ariel Atias, David Azoulay, Mazor Bahyna, Amnon Cohen, Yitzhak Cohen, Yakov Margi, Avraham Michaeli, Meshulam Nahari, Yitzhak Vaknin, Eliyahu Yishai, Nissim Zeev[59]  

List of Candidates:  

1. Eli Yishai
2. Ariel Atias
3. Yitzhak Cohen
4. Amnon cohen
5. Meshulam Nahari
6. Yakov Margi
7. David Azoulay
8. Yitzhak Vaknin
9. Nissim Zeev
10. Chaim Amsallem[60]

United Arab List-Arab Renewal (Ra’am-Ta’al)

Chairman: Ibrahim Sarsur

Ra’am-Ta’al, the Hebrew acronym for ‘United Arab List- Arab Movement for Renewal,’ is the largest Arab party in the Knesset and calls for an Israeli withdrawal to the pe-1967 borders and the creation of a Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The party calls for dismantling all Israeli settlements, including those in the Golan Heights. Ra’am-Ta’al also calls for the “right of return” to Israel for Palestinian refugees and their descendants.[61]

The party supports the separation of religion and state.[62] Ra’am-Ta’al calls for the recognition of Israeli Arabs as a national minority and believes that Arabs should not be recruited to serve in the Israel Defense Forces.[63] Israeli-Arabs are currently exempt from compulsory military service. Ra'am-Ta’al also states that Israel should give Islamic religious courts greater freedom in performing judicial duties. In addition, the movement calls for an increase in the budget for subsidizing all holy places belonging to the Muslims, Christians and Druze.[64] The party enjoys particular popularity among the Bedouin population.[65]

In January 2009, the Israeli Central Elections Committee banned Ra’am Ta’al and Balad (another Arab-Israeli party) from running in the elections, accusing them of incitement, supporting terrorist groups and refusing to recognize Israel's right to exist. The Supreme Court subsequently revoked the ban allowing the party to stand in the elections. Israel has in the past banned extreme right-wing parties from running in elections such as the Kach party of Meir Kahane.[66]

Members of Knesset:  

1. Talab El-Sana,
2. Ibrahim Sarsur
3. Ahmad Tibi
4. Abas Zkoor [67]   

List of Candidates: 

1. Ibrahim Sarsur
2. Ahmad Tibi
3. Talab El-Sana
4. Sa’ud Gna’im
5. Talab Abu-Arar
6. G’san Abdullan[68] 

United Torah Judaism 

Chairman: Yaakov Litzman

United Torah Judaism (also known by its Hebrew translation, ‘Yahadut HaTorah Hameukhedet’) is an alliance of two ultra-Orthodox political parties and represents the growing ultra-Orthodox community.[69] It opposes the separation of religion and state, drafting young ultra-Orthodox men for military service and any change in the nation’s laws that prohibit most businesses from opening on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays. The party has been successful in securing financial aid for the ultra-Orthodox community, including government stipends for large families.[70]

United Torah Judaism is willing to join coalition governments which engage in peace negotiations with the Palestinians, primarily because the social and religious policies it pursues are a greater priority to the party and its constituency.[71]

The party advocates for more inclusion of Jewish law within the state, saying that it aspires to “resolve, in the spirit of the Torah [Jewish law] and the commandments, all issues that arise in Jewish life.” The party is also opposed to civil marriage.[72]

Members of Knesset: Moshe Gafni, Shmuel Halpert, Yakov Litzman, Uri Maklev, Meir Porush, Avraham Ravitz  

List of Candidates

1. Yaakov Leitzman
2. Moshe Gafni
3. Meir Porush
4. Orli Mekalev
5. Menachem Eliezer Muzas
6. Yisrael Eichaler
7. Menachem Carmel
8. Yaakov Gutterman

Yisrael Beiteinu

Chairman: Avigdor Liberman

Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) is a right-wing party established in 1999 by Avigdor Lieberman, an immigrant from the former Soviet Union and at one time the director of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The party became the fifth-largest parliamentary faction following the 2006 general elections, with more than half of Israel’s Russian immigrants voting for it.[73] The party’s two core principles are encouraging socio-economic opportunities for new immigrants and taking a hard line in peace negotiations with the Palestinians and Arab states.[74]

Yisrael Beiteinu is in favor of a peace settlement with the Palestinians but states that this must be in conjunction with a population transfer of Israel’s Arab citizens to a future Palestinian state. The party’s manifesto states that “The end result [of a peace settlement with the Palestinians] must not be a state and a half for Palestinians and half a state for the Jews… It would be unjustifiable to create a Palestinian state that would exclude Jews while Israel became a bi-national state with an Arab minority of more than 20 percent of its citizens.” The party states that Jerusalem must remain the undivided capital of Israel.[75]

Yisrael Beiteinu supports the advancement of free-market economic policies, stating “We will continue to privatize government bodies and will create a system of public oversight of their management.” Regarding religious issues in Israel, the party does not call for the separation of religion and state. The manifesto instead states that the party will “strive to establish a modern society based on Jewish tradition and Zionism – a society that respects the religious and halakhic (Jewish law) aspects of Jewish life and is also tolerant of different religious outlooks.” [76]

Lieberman was minister of strategic affairs in Olmert’s coalition government until Yisrael Beiteinu withdrew in January 2008, in protest against what the party viewed as unacceptable concessions to the Palestinian Authority.[77]

Members of Knesset: Yitzhak Aharonovitch, Israel Hasson, Robert Ilatov, Sofa Landver, Avigdor Liberman, Alex Miller, Stas Misezhnikov, David Rotem, Yosef Shagal, Lia Shemtov, Esterina Tartman[78]

 List of Candidates: (10 of 16) 

1. Avigdor Liberman
2. Uzi Landau
3. Stas Misezhnikov
4. Yitzhak Aharonovitch
5. Sofa Landver
6. Orly Levy
7. Danny Ayalon
8. David Rotem
9. Anastasia Michali
10. Faina Kiranvaom[79]

Ehud Barak 

Ehud Barak is the Chairman of the Labor party and Israel’s current defense minister. Barak was Israel’s tenth prime minister, serving from 1999 - 2001.

Born on Kibbutz Mishmar Hasharon, Barak served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for 36 years, achieving the rank of Lt. Gen., and rising to IDF chief of staff, the most senior position in the IDF. Barak was commander of the ultra-elite Sayeret Matkal commando unit and participated in and directed a number of high-profile counter-terrorism operations including the Sabena plane hostage rescue and the Entebbe operation. He ended his military career as Israel’s most decorated soldier.

After retiring from military service, Barak was elected to the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) for the Labor party in 1996 and was a leading member of the Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee. In June 1997, Barak was elected chairman of the Labor party and beat Benjamin Netanyahu in direct prime ministerial elections in May 1999 by a wide margin.

As prime minister, Barak oversaw the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000. He also participated in the Camp David Summit of July 2000 hosted by President Clinton, aimed at achieving a final status agreement to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. During the summit, Barak reportedly made a number of substantial concessions to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat. The summit ultimately failed to achieve an agreement.

In September 2000 the Second Intifada erupted. In December 2000, facing coalition unrest, Barak resigned as prime minister and initiated a new direct election for the post of prime minister. Before the election, another attempt was made to reach a deal with the Palestinians at the Taba summit in January 2001, but this too was unsuccessful. Barak was then defeated by Ariel Sharon in the prime ministerial election of February 2001.

Barak took some time out from politics for a number of years but returned in June 2007 , winning the Labor primary contest and becoming the party chairman. He was appointed defense minister and deputy prime minister by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Barak, along with IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, oversaw the overhaul of various aspects of the IDF’s training and organization, and presided over Israel’s “Operation Cast Lead” from December 2008 to January 2009, aimed at damaging Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure.

Barak earned a bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a master's degree in economic engineering systems from Stanford University. He enjoys playing classical piano and is said to enjoy fixing watches.  

He is married and has three daughters from a previous marriage. [80] 

Tzipi Livni

Tzipi Livni is chairwoman of the Kadima party, Israel’s foreign minister and vice prime minister. Livni became leader of the Kadima party after winning the party’s primary election in September 2008.

Livni was first elected as a Member of Knesset in 1999 for the Likud party. She served as a member of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, the Committee on the Status of Women, and was chairwoman of the subcommittee responsible for legislation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Law. In 2001, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appointed Livni minister of regional cooperation. She held a number of other portfolios under Sharon’s premiership, including Immigrant Absorption, Housing and Construction and Justice.

Livni played a major role in brokering Israel’s disengagement from Gaza, implementing the dismantling of the settlements and the evacuation of the Israeli settlers. In November 2005, Sharon left the Likud party and set up the Kadima party. Livni, along with other senior Likud politicians, followed Sharon and joined the new party.

After Kadima emerged as the winner in Israel’s general elections in March 2006, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appointed Livni foreign minister. Livni also served as minister of justice from November 2006 - February 2007.

Following Olmert’s announcement in June 2008 not to run in the Kadima primary elections, Livni declared her candidacy for the position and won the party’s September 2008 primary, narrowly beating rival Shaul Mofaz.

Born in Tel Aviv in 1958, Livni is the daughter of three-term Knesset Member Eitan Livni, a close confident of former Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Before beginning her political career, Livni was an officer in the Israel Defense Forces and held a classified post with Israel’s Mossad for four years. She is married with two children and currently lives in Tel Aviv. [81]  

A lawyer by profession, Livni received her law degree from Bar-Ilan University and practiced law in a private firm for 10 years before entering public life.

Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu is chairman of the Likud party, current leader of the opposition and a former Israeli prime minister.

Netanyahu was elected to the Knesset in 1988 and was appointed deputy minister of foreign affairs by then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir. Netanyahu was a senior member of the Israeli delegation to the Madrid Conference in 1991, an international effort to initiate a peace process between Israel and its neighbors.

Netanyahu was elected Likud party chairman in 1993, and in 1996 narrowly defeated Shimon Peres in a direct leadership election.

As prime minister, Netanyahu continued peace negotiations with the Palestinians and signed the Wye River Memorandum, which was to lead to a withdrawal of the Israeli presence in the major Palestinian population centers of the West Bank, including the city of Hebron. After initial Israeli redeployments, the Likud led government determined that reciprocal efforts by the Palestinians to combat terrorism were not sufficient and further redeployments were suspended.

Netanyahu lost the prime ministerial election in 1999 to Labor leader Ehud Barak and subsequently stayed away from front-line politics. In 2002 he was appointed foreign minister by then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and in 2003, after losing the Likud primary election to Sharon, was appointed finance minister, a position he held until August 2005. During this time Netanyahu carried out a number of liberalizing reforms to the Israeli economy.

Netanyahu resigned as finance minister in August 2005 in protest against Sharon’s unilateral withdrawal from Gaza. After Sharon left the party to form Kadima, Netanyahu became Likud chairman once again.

Netanyahu was born in Tel Aviv in 1949, the first Israeli prime minister born after the establishment of the state. He was the youngest Israeli leader ever when he won the 1996 election. Netanyahu served with Ehud Barak in the ultra-elite Israeli commando unit, Sayeret Matkal, participating in the Sabena plane hostage rescue. He fought in the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and reached the rank of captain. He is married, has three children from former marriage and lives in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu spent his high school years in the United States and received a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s degree in management studies from M.I.T. He also studied political science at M.I.T. and Harvard University. [82] 

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