| Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party | |
| Founded: | 1946 |
| Ideology: | Marxism Labor Zionism Socialism |
| Country: | Palestine |
| Merger: | Kibbutz Artzi Socialist League of Palestine |
| Merged: | Mapam |
| Newspaper: | Al HaMishmar |
| Colorcode: |
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| Leader: | Meir Ya'ari Ya'akov Hazan |
rect 167 83 445 250 Hapoel Hatzairrect 450 88 717 265 Non Partisansrect 721 86 995 243 Poalei Zionrect 152 316 373 502 HaPoel HaMizrachirect 552 328 884 512 Ahdut HaAvodarect 891 301 1111 534 Poalei Zion Leftrect 283 519 668 928 Mapairect 5 665 169 1432 HaOved HaTzionirect 697 747 918 953 Ahdut HaAvoda Movementrect 755 977 959 1234 Ahdut HaAvoda Poalei ZIonrect 775 1265 1136 1444 Mapamrect 966 1023 1232 1217 HaShomer Hatzair Workers' Partyrect 1044 572 1228 766 HaShomer HaTzairrect 942 769 1177 919 Socialist League of Palestinerect 387 1275 734 1447 Mapairect 365 1260 174 1447 HaPoel HaMizrachirect 36 6 1225 81 Labor Zionism
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The Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party of Palestine (Hebrew: מִפְלֶגֶת פּוֹעָלִים הַשׁוֹמֵר הַצָעִיר בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Mifleget Poalim Hashomer Hatzair be'Eretz Yisrael) was a Marxist-Zionist political party in the British Mandate of Palestine, connected to the Hashomer Hatzair movement.
At the time of its foundation, in 1946, the party had around 10,000 members, two-thirds of whom hailed from the Kibbutz Artzi movement. The remainder came from the urban-based Socialist League of Palestine, which was dissolved into the party.[1]
The Hashomer Hatzair movement had positioned itself politically between the moderate mainstream Mapai and the radical communists since the 1920s. The movement had however been reluctant to form a political party, since its leaders had felt that entering into party politics could push the movement into ideological deviations.[2] The movement had tried to seek unity with Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda before forming a party of its own, but those merger talks had failed as the other parties rejected the bi-nationalist positions of Hashomer Hatzair.[3]
In contrast with Mapai, the main Labour Zionist party in Palestine at the time, the Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party put heavier emphasis on class struggle.[4] The party could not achieve unity in action with the Communist Party, as the Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party supported aliyah whilst the communists had ambiguous positions on the issue.[5]
The Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party was the sole Zionist political organization in Palestine at the time that recognized the national rights of the Palestinian Arabs. The party advocated a bi-national state, to be shared between Jews and Arabs. The party was repeatedly criticized by other Zionist groups for their bi-national position, accusing the party of breaking the united Zionist front. The party opposed partitioning Palestine, instead preferring converting the British Mandate into an international trusteeship. In the longer perspective, a 'Palestinian Commonwealth' with Jewish majority would be established. The party maintained links with Ihud, a small circle of Jewish intellectuals who shared the bi-national vision of the party.[6] [7] [8]
In 1948 the party merged with Ahdut HaAvoda-Poalei Zion, forming the United Workers Party (MAPAM).[9]
The party's newspaper was Al HaMishmar which subsequently transferred its affiliation to MAPAM.