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 the Tehiya/, all demanding the expulsion of the Palestinians from the occupied territories. The racist Kach had been barred from entering the 1988 elections. In 1990 an Arab assassin in New York murdered the leader of the movement, Rabbi Meir Kachane - elected to the Knesset in 1984. As a result of the rift within the ranks of the Kach after the death of Kachane, a group of activists seceded from the movement and established the Kachane Lives /Kachane Hai/ movement in the United States. Meanwhile another group created the Fighting Jewish Organisation /Eyal/. After the Hebron massacre, committed by a member of the Kach, the government banned the movement; presently the party continues its activities illegally.14 The aspirations of the extreme right Jewish movements diametrically oppose the Labour party's plans for a Middle East peace settlement. One of the dramatic consequences of this dichotomy led to the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin in November 1995 by an Eyal activist, Yigal Amir. Whereas the parliamentary radical groups are closely affiliated with the settlers and rivals of the Likud, they had also been coalition partners under special circumstances. With respect to the distribution of power in the Knesset, the Likud, similarly to the Labour Party, suffered setbacks in the 1990s. By comparison to previous cycles, the party lost close to ten mandates in 1992 and - for the first time - was forced into opposition in 1977. In 1996 - by forging closer ties with two smaller parties, in particular with the David Levy-led Geser Party, comprising mainly Moroccan immigrants and the Raphael Eytan / former Chief of Staffs/-led Comet Party - they managed to secure former positions at a price of significant concessions. As a result of the modified electoral system, coupled with the victory of Netanyahu in the 1996 premiership race, the Likud again returned to power. During the Likud's tenure, the Arab-Israeli reconciliation processes considerably decelerated and Arab-Israeli relations rapidly deteriorated despite the agreements concluded during this period. Likud accepted in principle the Oslo agreements based on „territory for peace" - but by insisting on reciprocity - they derailed the whole process. Under Netanyahu's leadership the party had abandoned the traditional revisionist line and - with some reservations - accepted the territorial compromise with respect to the West Bank, as well as the establishment of a symbolic Palestinian state. Whereas the prime minister struggled to maintain the heterogeneous coalition, the infighting in Likud further aggravated the situation, which led to the departure of several prominent politicians from the governing party. These included Benny Begin, the son of the former prime minister, who established a new election coalition called National Unity. The new right wing coalition of Begin comprised the hardliner New Freedom Party /Herut HaHadasha/, the Moledet and the Renaissance /Tekuma/. Every anti-Palestinian movement condemned Netanyahu for making any concessions to the Palestinians, including the October 1998 Wye agreement. The agreement - based on the notion of reciprocity - gave territorial concessions to the Palestinians. As dissent within the ranks of Likud intensified, more politicians defected. Under the leadership of former Defence 44 Külügyi Szemle
