Külügyi Szemle - A Teleki László Intézet Külpolitikai Tanulmányok Központja folyóirata - 2003 (2. évfolyam)
2003 / 1. szám - KÖZEL-KELET - Gazdik Gyula: The evolution of the Israeli party system
Gyula Gazdik demanding that Jews be the dominant ethnic group in Erec Israel; thus mass immigration of Jews must serve this purpose. Since this kind of colonisation evoked Arab resistance, the Jewish birthplace must be protected by an „Iron Curtain". At the same time - for the security of the would-be Jewish State - he stipulated autonomy for the Arab and other ethno-religious minorities. Jabotinsky sincerely believed in the messianic nature of the Jewish people and that it would serve as an example for the rest of the world.11 The notorious right hand of the revisionist leader, Menachem Begin /1913—1985/ - as the head of the National Military Organisation /Irgun/ - launched terrorist attacks against the Arabs and the British. As a result of the integration of the Irgun into the Israeli Defence Forces - coupled with his severe disagreement with Ben- Gurion - Begin and his followers joined the Herut movement. The political platform of the movement overtly admitted that - for security reasons - it intends to change the ceasefire demarcation line drawn after the first Arab-Israeli war. The economic philosophy of the Herut promoted free competition and viewed the Histadrut as a mere tool in the hands of the socialists.12 Begin's party came fourth in the 1949 elections, but- for ideological as well as personal reasons - Ben-Gurion rejected the idea of forming a coalition with Begin's party. The party failed to increase its voter support and the number of its mandates remained under 20 during the following four elections. Begin's party tried to the break out of the magic circle by forging closer ties with the liberals. The election performance of the Liberals had been far from consistent. The domination of the socialists during the 1950s hindered the liberal movements' efforts to increase their political influence. Whereas they gradually consolidated their power during the 1960s, political and personal divergences slowed down this process. Although the two liberal movements merged into a new Liberal Party prior to the 1961 elections, their achievements were not mirrored in the number of their mandates. The alliance with the Herut has been a watershed in the history of the party. The former leaders of the Progressive Party - having been on congenial terms with the Labour Party - refused to cooperate with Begin and established a new grouping called the Independent Liberal Party. The General Zionist faction - retaining the Liberal Party title - entered into an election coalition with Herut. Since their economic philosophy coincided with that of Herut, the union was free of ideological conflicts. The joint list of the two parties, the Herut-Liberal Bloc /Gahal/, received 26 mandates at the 1965 elections, in the proximity of its earlier achievements as an independent party. Despite the meagre performance of the Gahal, Begin's influence gathered momentum in domestic politics. Prior to the eruption of the war, the Levi Eshkol /1895—1969/-led Labour government agreed to the return and reburial of Begin's mentor and Ben- Gurion's adversary, Jabotinsky. This had been a great victory for the Herut leader who- at the onset of the third Arab-lsraeli war - joined the newly established National Unity government. Despite the active political role played by Begin, the party failed to 42 Külügyi Szemle
