| Labor Party | |
| Dissolved: | (de facto) |
| Merger: | Mapai Ahdut HaAvoda Rafi |
| Merged: | The Democrats |
| Headquarters: | Tel Aviv |
| Youth Wing: | Israeli Young Labor |
| Membership: | 48,288[1] |
| Membership Year: | 2024 |
| National: | Alignment (1968–1991) One Israel (1999–2001) Zionist Union (2014–2019) |
| International: | Progressive Alliance Socialist International (until 2018) |
| European: | Party of European Socialists (observer) |
| Country: | Israel |
| Seats1 Title: | Most MKs |
| Seats2: | 3 (2020–2021) |
| Colours: | Red, blue |
| Symbol: | [2] |
The Israeli Labor Party (Hebrew: מִפְלֶגֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית|{{Audio|MiflegetHaAvodaHaYisraelit.ogg|''Mifleget HaAvoda HaYisraelit''), commonly known as HaAvoda (Hebrew: הָעֲבוֹדָה||The Labor), was a social democratic[3] political party in Israel. The party was established in 1968 by a merger of Mapai, Ahdut HaAvoda and Rafi. Until 1977, all Israeli prime ministers were affiliated with the Labor movement.[4] The final party leader was Yair Golan, who was elected on 28 May 2024.
A party in the Labor Zionist tradition supporting the welfare state and trade union links,[5] The Labor Party was associated with supporting the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, pragmatic foreign affairs policies and social-democratic economic policies.[6] The party has also been described as secular,[5] [7] [8] progressive,[9] and in favour of a two-state solution.[10] The party was a member of Socialist International until July 2018,[11] [12] [13] and was subsequently a member of the Progressive Alliance and an observer member of the Party of European Socialists.[14] [15]
On 30 June 2024, under the leadership of its new head, Yair Golan, the party agreed to merge with Meretz to form a new party, The Democrats. Under the merger agreement there will be one Meretz representative in every four spots on the new party's electoral list as well as on the party bodies, and there will also be representation for Meretz's municipal factions.[16] The agreement was ratified by delegates of both Labor and Meretz on 12 July 2024.Under the agreement, Meretz and Labor continue as separate corporate and budgetary entities, and their factions in the Histadrut, municipal councils and other bodies outside the Knesset will not merge at this stage but will cooperate.[17]
The foundations for the formation of the Israeli Labor Party were laid shortly before the 1965 Knesset elections when Mapai, the largest left-wing party in the country and the dominant partner in every government since independence, formed an alliance with Ahdut HaAvoda.[18] Mapai's Arab satellite lists followed the merger. The alliance was an attempt by Mapai to shore up the party's share of the vote following a break-away of eight MKs (around a fifth of Mapai's Knesset faction) led by former Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to form a new party, Rafi, in protest against Mapai's failure to approve a change to the country's proportional representation electoral system.
The alliance, called the Labor Alignment, won 45 seats in the elections, and was able to form the government in coalition with the National Religious Party, Mapam, the Independent Liberals, Poalei Agudat Yisrael, Progress and Development and Cooperation and Brotherhood. After the Six-Day War broke out, Rafi and Gahal joined the coalition. On 23 January 1968, Mapai, Ahdut HaAvoda and Rafi (with the exception of Ben-Gurion, who formed the National List in protest) merged into one body, creating the Israeli Labor Party.[19] [20] On 28 January 1969, the party allied itself with Mapam, the alliance becoming known as the Alignment.
As the largest faction within the Alignment, Labor came to dominate it. Mapam left during the eighth Knesset, but rejoined shortly afterwards. During the 1970s, the welfare state was expanded[21] [22] under successive Labor governments, with increases in pension benefits[23] and the creation of new social security schemes such as disability insurance and unemployment insurance in 1970, children's insurance in 1975, vacation pay for adopting parents in 1976,[24] a Family Allowance for Veterans in 1970, a benefit for Prisoners of Zion in 1973, and a mobility benefit and a Volunteers' Rights benefit in 1975.[25] During 1975–76, a modest program of housing rehabilitation was launched in a dozen or so older neighbourhoods,[26] while the Sick Leave Compensation Law of 1976 provided for compensation in cases when employees were absent from work because of illness.[27]
In the 1977 elections, Labor ended up in opposition for the first time. In the 1984 elections, Labor joined a national unity government with Likud, with the post of Prime Minister rotating between the two parties. Mapam broke away again during the eleventh Knesset, angry at Shimon Peres's decision to form a national unity government with Likud. Although the Independent Liberals merged into the Alignment in the 1980s, they had no Knesset representation at the time.
On 7 October 1991, the Alignment ceased to exist, with all factions formally merged into the Labor Party. At this time, the Likud government faced numerous problems, such as economic problems, the challenge of assimilating a large influx of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, serious tensions with the American government led by President George H. W. Bush[28] and internal division. Led by Yitzhak Rabin, Labor won the 1992 elections and formed the government, together with Meretz and Shas. In domestic policy, the Labor-led government introduced various measures to improve levels of social protection. Better provisions were introduced for single parents[29] and people with disabilities,[30] while income support entitlements were liberalised.[31]
The 1994 Law to Reduce Poverty and Income Inequality (which was extended a year later) increased income maintenance grants to needy families, particularly benefitting those sections of society most vulnerable to poverty.[32] In 1995, a national health insurance policy was implemented.[33] Various measures were also introduced to bring greater progressivity into the system of collection of national insurance contributions.[34] A maternity grant for adopting mothers was introduced,[35] together with old-age insurance for housewives,[36] a minimum unemployment allowance,[37] and a partial injury allowance.[38] In addition, investments were made in numerous development projects[39] while affirmative action programmes were launched to hire Palestinian citizens in the public sector, the Ministry of Interior increased the budgets for Arab local councils, and the Ministry of Education increased the budget for Arab education.[40]
The subsequent role of Labor became to a large extent tied to the Oslo Accords, based on the principle "land for peace". The Oslo Accords led to a vote of confidence, which the Government won with a margin of 61–50 (8 abstained). Several MKs from the Government parties declined to support the Government, but on the other hand, the Arab parties came to its rescue. Due to the lack of a constitution in Israel, the Government was able to implement the accords with a thin margin. Rabin's decision to advance peace talks with the Palestinians to the point of signing the Oslo Accords led to his assassination by Yigal Amir in 1995. Peres decided to call early elections in 1996 to give him a mandate for advancing the peace process. However, his ploy failed; although Labor won the most seats in the Knesset election, he lost the election for Prime Minister to Benjamin Netanyahu following a wave of suicide bombings by Hamas. Netanyahu and Likud were thus able to form the government.
With his coalition falling apart, Netanyahu decided to call early elections in 1999. Ehud Barak won the internal primaries, and was nominated as the Labor candidate for Prime Minister. Meanwhile, the party entered an electoral alliance with Meimad and Gesher called One Israel. Barak won the Prime Minister election, whilst One Israel won the Knesset elections, albeit with only 26 seats. Barak started by forming a 75-member coalition, together with Shas, Meretz, Yisrael BaAliyah, the National Religious Party, and United Torah Judaism. The coalition with religious parties (NRP, Shas, and UTJ) caused tensions with the secularist Meretz, who quit the coalition after a disagreement with Shas over the authority of the Deputy Education Minister. The rest of the parties left before the Camp David 2000 summit.
Following the October 2000 riots and the violence of the Second Intifada, Barak resigned from office. He then lost a special election for Prime Minister to Likud's Ariel Sharon. However, Labor remained in Sharon's coalition as he formed a national unity government with Likud, Labor, Shas, Yisrael BaAliyah and United Torah Judaism, and were given two of the most important cabinet portfolios; Peres was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Benjamin Ben-Eliezer was made Defense Minister. Labor supported Operation Defensive Shield, which was conducted in April 2002 against Palestinians in the West Bank. After harsh criticism that Peres and Ben-Elizer were "puppets" of Sharon and not promoting the peace process, Labor quit the government in 2003.
Prior to the 2003 elections, Amram Mitzna won the party primaries, and led the party into the election with a platform that included unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The party was routed in the elections, winning only 19 seats, whilst Sharon's Likud won 38 (40 after Yisrael BaAliyah merged into the party). Subsequently, due to internal opposition, Mitzna resigned from the party leadership,[41] and soon afterwards was replaced by Shimon Peres. Sharon invited Labor into the coalition to shore up support for the disengagement plan (effectively Mitzna's policy which he had earlier lambasted) after the National Union and the National Religious Party had left the government.
On 8 November 2005, Shimon Peres was replaced as the leader of the Labor party by the election of left-wing Histadrut union leader Amir Peretz in an internal Labor party ballot. Critics of Labor have argued that, over the years, the party had abandoned its socialist heritage in favor of economic and business elites, and had passed the mantle of custodian of the underprivileged to right-wing and religious parties.[42] Peretz stated his intention to reassert Labor's traditional socialist policies, and took the party out of the government. This prompted Sharon to resign and call for new elections in March 2006. Prior to the election, the political map had been redrawn, as Sharon and the majority of Likud's MKs, together with a number of Labor MKs, including Shimon Peres, and some from other parties, had formed the new political party Kadima. In the elections Labor won 19 seats, making it the second largest party after Kadima. It joined Ehud Olmert's Kadima-led government, with Peretz appointed Defense Minister. Labor's main coalition demand and campaign promise was raising the minimum wage.[43]
On 28 May 2007, a leadership election resulted in Ehud Barak and Ami Ayalon defeating Peretz who was pushed into third place. In the run-off election (required as neither Barak nor Ayalon received over 40% of the vote), Barak was re-elected as party chairman. Despite stating that he would withdraw the party from the government unless Olmert resigned,[44] Barak remained in government and took over as Defense Minister. Prior to the 2009 elections Labor and Meimad ended their alliance, with Meimad ultimately running a joint list with the Green Movement (which did not pass the electoral threshold). Several prominent members left the party, including Ami Ayalon, and Efraim Sneh (who formed Yisrael Hazaka). In the elections, Labor was reduced to just 13 seats, making it the fourth largest party behind Kadima, Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu.
Analysing the downfall of the once dominant political party in Israel, Efraim Inbar of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies points to several factors. By forfeiting identification with the establishment and building of the State of Israel, symbolised by a predilection for military service and by the settling of the land of Israel, Labor lost its most important asset. Deserting the Zionist symbol of Jerusalem, by showing willingness to cede part of it to the Palestinians was an ill-fated move. Their association with the Oslo Accords meant that they could not avoid being discredited by its failure. Demographic factors have worked against Labor, as the growing Sefardi population, as well as the recent Russian-Jewish immigrants, have largely voted for other parties. Attempts to gain the support of the Israeli Arab voters have damaged the image of the party, and yielded no harvest.[42]
On 17 January 2011, disillusionment with party leader Ehud Barak, over his support for coalition policies, especially regarding the peace process, led to Barak's resignation from the Labor Party with four other Knesset members to establish a new "centrist, Zionist and democratic" party, Independence. Following this move, all Labor Party government ministers resigned. Two days after the split, a group of prominent members of Israel's business, technology, and cultural communities including Jerusalem Venture Partners founder Erel Margalit founded the "Avoda Now" movement calling for a revival of the Labor Party. The movement launched a public campaign calling the people to support the Labor Party, with the aim of renewing its institutions, restore its social values, and choose new dynamic leadership.[45]
Shelly Yachimovich was elected leader in 2011 saying "I promise that we will work together. This is just the beginning of a new start for Israeli society." She was congratulated by many in the party including her one-time rival Amir Peretz.[46] Yachimovich was replaced as leader by Isaac Herzog in 2013. In the 2013 legislative election held on 22 January 2013, Labor received 11.39% of the national vote, winning 15 seats.[47]
On 10 December 2014, party leader Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni, leader and founder of the Hatnuah party, announced an electoral alliance to contest the upcoming legislative election.[48] In the 2015 legislative election on 7 March 2015, the joint list Zionist Union received 24 seats in the Knesset, of which 19 belong to the Labor Party. Both parties remained independent parties while both represented by the Zionist Union faction in the Knesset. The partnership continued after Avi Gabbay was elected chairman of the party on 10 July 2017, until 1 January 2019, when Gabbay announced the dissolution of the union unilaterally.[49] On 10 July 2018, the Labor Party suspended its membership of the Socialist International after the international adopted a policy of BDS towards Israel.[50]
Labor's support collapsed in the April 2019 legislative election, being reduced to only 4.43% of votes and 6 seats, marking it as the worst result in the party's history. Anger at Gabbay intensified, with poor election results, and negotiating with the right to join a Netanyahu-led government. Longtime party member Peretz criticized Gabbay, tweeting "We will not enter or sit in his [Netanyahu] government. Every other option is a violation of everything we promised to the public".[51] Gabbay resigned in June.[52] In July 2019, Amir Peretz was elected as the new leader of the Labor party.[53] A few weeks later, on 18 July 2019, ahead of the September 2019 election, Amir Peretz merged the party with the Gesher party, giving Gesher multiple spots on Labor's candidate list.[54]
On 12 January 2020, Labor announced that it was negotiating a joint list with Meretz to prevent the possibility of either party not making the electoral threshold and not entering the Knesset.[55] Labor and Meretz announced a joint run on 13 January 2020,[56] with the Labor party central committee voting in favor of ratification of the alliance the following day.[57] Meretz approved the alliance on 14 January.[58] The alliance submitted its list on 15 January under the name Labor-Gesher-Meretz.[59] In March 2020, Gesher's only MK Orly Levy announced that she was splitting from the union due to their support of Benny Gantz's efforts to set up a minority government with the Joint List, with him as Prime Minister.[60] Gantz later abandoned that effort and instead joined a "national unity coronavirus government" headed by Benjamin Netanyahu. After repeatedly promising not to join a government headed by Netanyahu,[61] [62] Peretz decided to bring Labor into that coalition headed by Netanyahu to "promote social justice" along with Gantz.[63]
On 22 April 2020, it was announced that Labor Party leader Amir Peretz would serve as Israel's Economic Minister as a result of a coalition agreement which was made following the 2020 Israeli legislative election and will coordinate with Blue and White on parliamentary matters and policy issues.[64] [65] [66] Despite agreeing to join the new government, Peretz also stated that he and other Labor MKs will still vote against a proposed West Bank annexation plan.[67] On 26 April 2020, 64.2% of the Labor Party's 3,840 central committee members approved of Peretz's decision to join the new government.[68] [69] During the coalition talks, the party was under negotiations with Blue and White to implement a merger.[70] On 17 May 2020, Peretz was officially sworn in at the new Israeli economic minister.[71] Labor member Itzik Shmuli also joined the Israeli government after being sworn in as Israel's Minister of Welfare.[71]
Peretz decided to not run for re-election in the 2021 election and also resigned as leader. In the consequent leadership election, Merav Michaeli (who did not join the Netanyahu government) was elected leader. Labor, which was struggling to cross the threshold in polls taken before Michaeli became leader, increased their share of seats to 7. The party subsequently joined the new government.[72] [73] Michaeli was re-elected leader ahead of the 2022 election. This was the first time the party re-elected its leader since primaries were held starting in 1992.[74] In the 2022 elections the party was reduced to four seats and winning 3.69% of the votes.[75] In December 2023, Michaeli announced her intention to step down as Labor leader.[76] The following February, a leadership election was called for 28 May,[77] which Yair Golan won on a platform of merging the party with the rival Meretz party.[78] On 30 June 2024, an agreement between Labor and Meretz was signed to merge the parties and form The Democrats, which was approved by the newly elected party delegates on 12 July.[79]
Mapai evolved from the socialist Poale Zion movement and adhered to the Socialist Zionist ideology promulgated by Nahum Syrkin and Ber Borochov. Under Ben-Gurion's leadership (1930–1954), Mapai focused mainly on a Zionist agenda, as establishing a homeland for the Jewish people was seen as the most urgent issue.
After the founding of the state of Israel, Mapai engaged in nation building—the establishment of the Israel Defense Forces (while dismantling every other armed group), the establishment of many settlements, the settling of more than 1,000,000 Jewish immigrants and the desire to unite all the inhabitants of Israel under a new Zionist Jewish Israeli culture (an ideology known as the "Melting pot" כור היתוך).
Labor in the past was more hawkish on security and defense issues than it is now. During its years in office, Israel fought the 1956 Sinai War, the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War.
While originally a democratic socialist party, Labor evolved into a programme that supported a mixed economy with strong social welfare programmes. In November 2005, Amir Peretz, leader of the social-democratic One Nation which had merged into Labor after a split in 1999,[80] was elected chairman of the party, defeating Shimon Peres. Under Peretz, especially in the 2006 electoral campaign, the party took a significant ideological turn, putting social and economic issues on top of its agenda, and advocating a social democratic approach (including increases in minimum wage and social security payments), in sharp contrast to the economically liberal policies led by former Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In the post–Cold War era, the party's foreign policy retained a strong orientation toward the United States (especially the Democratic Party), and its security policy maintained that a permanent peace with the Palestinians can only be based on agreements that are enforceable.[81] Labor supported a two-state solution and the creation of an independent, demilitarized Palestinian state.
On social issues, Labor supported same-sex marriage, the legalisation of cannabis, advancing surrogacy rights for gay couples and organized public transportation on Shabbat. Labor was committed to the continued existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. It believed in maintaining a strong defense force and also supports the promotion of individual human rights. It supported most Supreme Court decisions on the latter issue, as well as the adoption of a written constitution that would entrench human rights. The party opposed the Nation State Bill in 2018, and after its passing pledged to adding a clause emphasising equality for all citizens.
| No. | Image | Leader | Took office | Left office | Prime Ministerial tenure | Knesset elections | Elected/reelected as leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Levi Eshkol | 1968 | 1969 | 1963–1969 | |||
| 2 | Golda Meir | 1969 | 1974 | 1969–1974 | 1969, 1973 | 1969 | |
| 3 | Yitzhak Rabin | 1974 | 1977 | 1974–1977 | 1974, 1977 (Feb) | ||
| 4 | Shimon Peres | 1977 | 1992 | 1984–1986 | 1977, 1981, 1984, 1988 | 1977 (Apr), 1980, 1984 | |
| (3) | Yitzhak Rabin | 1992 | 1995 | 1992–1995 | 1992 | 1992 | |
| (4) | Shimon Peres | 1995 | 1997 | 1995–1996 | 1996 | 1995 | |
| 5 | Ehud Barak | 1997 | 2001 | 1999–2001 | 1999 | 1997 | |
| 6 | Binyamin Ben-Eliezer | 2001 | 2002 | 2001[82] | |||
| 7 | Amram Mitzna | 2002 | 2003 | 2003 | 2002[83] | ||
| (4) | Shimon Peres interim[84] | 2003 | 2005 | 2003 | |||
| 8 | Amir Peretz | 2005 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005[85] | ||
| (5) | Ehud Barak | 2007 | 2011 | 2009 | 2007 | ||
| 9 | Shelly Yachimovich | 2011 | 2013 | 2013 | 2011 | ||
| 10 | Isaac Herzog | 2013 | 2017 | 2015 | 2013 | ||
| 11 | Avi Gabbay | 2017 | 2019 | 2019 (Apr) | 2017 | ||
| (8) | Amir Peretz | 2019 | 2021 | 2019 (Sep), 2020 | 2019 | ||
| 12 | Merav Michaeli | 2021 | 2024 | 2021, 2022 | 2021, 2022 | ||
| 13 | Yair Golan | 2024 | 2024 | 2024 | |||
The rules adopted in 1963 by the preceding Mapai party for electing leaders saw the party's leader elected by a vote of its Central Committee. This initially remained the case with the Labor Party when it succeeded Mapai. Beginning with the 1977 leadership election, the party shifted to electing its leaders by a vote of the party's convention delegates. Following Rabin's resignation, only months after the February 1977 leadership election, the party opted against holding another convention vote, and instead selected Peres as its new leader by a vote of its Central Committee. A vote of convention delegates was again used in the 1980 leadership election.
The party's 5th convention adopted a rule change that shifted the election of party leaders to a vote of the party's general membership. As a result, since 1992, Labor Party leaders have been chosen through party membership votes, aside from exceptional circumstances.[86] Exceptional circumstances arose after the November 1995 assassination of Rabin, which saw the a vote of the party's Central Committee used to install Peres as the party's new leader.[86] Exceptional circumstances again arose in 2003, when an internal vote of the party's Central Committee was used to select Shimon Peres to serve as they party's interim leader until a later vote for a new permanent leader.[84]
Prominent former members include:
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Golda Meir | Part of Alignment | ||||
| 1973 | 5 | |||||
| 1977 | Shimon Peres | 16 | ||||
| 1981 | 12 | |||||
| 1984 | 3 | |||||
| 1988 | 685,363 | 30.02 (#2) | 2 | |||
| 1992 | Yitzhak Rabin | 906,810 | 34.65 (#1) | 5 | ||
| 1996 | Shimon Peres | 818,741 | 26.83 (#1) | 10 | ||
| 1999 | Ehud Barak | Part of One Israel | 11 | |||
| 2003 | Amram Mitzna | 455,183 | 14.46 (#2) | 5 | ||
| 2006 | Amir Peretz | 472,366 | 15.06 (#2) | |||
| 2009 | Ehud Barak | 334,900 | 9.93 (#4) | 5 | ||
| 2013 | Shelly Yachimovich | 432,118 | 11.39 (#3) | 2 | ||
| 2015 | Isaac Herzog | Part of Zionist Union | 4 | |||
| Apr 2019 | Avi Gabbay | 190,870 | 4.43 (#6) | 13 | ||
| Sep 2019 | Amir Peretz | 212,782 | 4.80 (#9) | 1 | ||
| 2020 | Part of Labor-Gesher-Meretz | 2 | ||||
| 2021 | Merav Michaeli | 268,737 | 6.09 (#6) | 4 | ||
| 2022 | 175,922 | 3.69 (#10) | 3 | |||
| Election | Candidate | Votes | % | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Shimon Peres | 1,471,566 | 49.5 (#2) | ||
| 1999 | Ehud Barak | 1,791,020 | 56.1 (#1) | ||
| 2001 | Ehud Barak | 1,023,944 | 37.6 (#2) |
| Knesset | Members | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 7 (1969–1974) | 50 (part of Alignment) | |
| 8 (1973–1977) | Yigal Allon, Yosef Almogi, Adiel Amorai, Ari Ankorion, Shoshana Arbeli-Almozlino, Moshe Baram, Yitzhak Ben-Aharon, Mordechai Ben-Porat (Left party to sit as an independent), Moshe Carmel, David Coren, Moshe Dayan, Abba Eban, Aryeh Eliav (Left party to sit as an independent, before establishing Ya'ad – Civil Rights Movement and then forming the Independent Socialist Faction), Uzi Feinerman (replaced by Amos Hadar 8 April 1974), Yisrael Galili, Avraham Givelber, Zvi Guershoni (replaced by Senetta Yoseftal 1 September 1976), Mathilda Guez, Menachem Hacohen, Ben-Zion Halfon, Michael Harish, Esther Herlitz, Shlomo Hillel, Yisrael Kargman, Nuzhat Katzav, Shalom Levin, Golda Meir (replaced by Jacques Amir 10 June 1974), Eliyahu Moyal, Ora Namir, Yitzhak Navon, Avraham Ofer (replaced by Yehiel Leket 3 January 1977), Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Pinchas Sapir (replaced by Ya'akov Frank 12 August 1975), Yossi Sarid, Moshe Shahal, Moshe Wertman, Gad Yaacobi, Aharon Yadlin, Aviad Yafeh, Aharon Yariv (replaced by Zvi Alderoti 16 May 1977), Yisrael Yeshayahu, Haim Yosef Zadok, Avraham Zilberberg, Haviv Shimoni (replaced Abd el-Aziz el-Zoubi of the Mapam, 14 February 1974) | 44 (part of Alignment) |
| 9 (1977–1981) | Yigal Allon (replaced by Yehuda Hashai 29 February 1980), Jacques Amir, Adiel Amorai, Shoshana Arbeli-Almozlino, Haim Bar-Lev, Uzi Baram, Moshe Dayan (Left party to sit as an independent before establishing Telem), Abba Eban, Tamar Eshel, Menachem Hacohen, Amos Hadar, Michael Harish, Shlomo Hillel, Yeruham Meshel, Eliyahu Moyal, Ora Namir, Yitzhak Navon (replaced by Avraham Katz-Oz 18 April 1978), Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Yehoshua Rabinovitz (replaced by Esther Herlitz 14 August 1979), Daniel Rosolio, Yossi Sarid, Moshe Shahal, Eliyahu Speiser, Gad Yaacobi, Aharon Yadlin (replaced by Ze'ev Katz 12 January 1979), Yehezkel Zakai, Haim Yosef Zadok (replaced by Emri Ron of Mapam) | 28 (part of the Alignment) |
| 10 (1981–1984) | Jacques Amir, Adiel Amorai, Nava Arad, Shoshana Arbeli-Almozlino, Haim Bar-Lev, Michael Bar-Zohar, Uzi Baram, Dov Ben-Meir, Naftali Blumenthal, Abba Eban, Rafael Edri, Tamar Eshel, Ya'akov Gil, Mordechai Gur, Menachem Hacohen, Aharon Harel, Moshe Harif (replaced by Edna Solodar 16 January 1982), Michael Harish, Yehuda Hashai, Chaim Herzog (replaced by Nahman Raz 22 March 1983), Shlomo Hillel, Avraham Katz-Oz, Hamad Khalaily Yeruham Meshel, Aharon Nahmias, Ra'anan Naim, Ora Namir, Aryeh Nehemkin, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Daniel Rosolio (replaced by Haim Ramon 16 March 1983), Yossi Sarid, Uri Sebag, Moshe Shahal, Eliyahu Speiser, Rafael Suissa, Ya'akov Tzur, Shevah Weiss, Gad Yaacobi, Yehezkel Zakai | 40 (part of Alignment) |
| 11 (1984–1988) | Jacques Amir, Adiel Amorai (replaced by Uri Sebag 31 October 1988), Nava Arad, Shoshana Arbeli-Almozlino, Yitzhak Artzi, Haim Bar-Lev, Uzi Baram, Dov Ben-Meir, Abdulwahab Darawshe (Left party to sit as an independent, before forming the Arab Democratic Party), Simcha Dinitz (replaced by Ya'akov Gil 13 March 1988), Abba Eban, Rafael Edri, Mordechai Gur, Menachem Hacohen, Aharon Harel (replaced by Avraham Shochat 10 May 1988), Michael Harish, Shlomo Hillel, Avraham Katz-Oz, Yisrael Kessar, David Libai, Amnon Linn, Aharon Nahmias, Ora Namir, Yitzhak Navon, Aryeh Nehemkin, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Peretz, Yitzhak Rabin, Haim Ramon, Nahman Raz, Yossi Sarid (Left party to join Ratz), Moshe Shahal, Efraim Shalom, Edna Solodar, Eliyahu Speiser, Ya'akov Tzur, Shevah Weiss, Gad Yaacobi | 38 (as part of the Alignment, Mapam leaves Alignment following election) |
| Nava Arad, Shoshana Arbeli-Almozlino, Haim Bar-Lev, Michael Bar-Zohar, Uzi Baram, Yossi Beilin, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Eli Ben-Menachem, Avraham Burg, Ra'anan Cohen, Eli Dayan, Rafael Edri, Aryeh Eliav, Gedalia Gal, Micha Goldman, Efraim Gur (Left party to establish the Unity for Peace and Immigration, which merged into Likud), Mordechai Gur, Michael Harish, Shlomo Hillel, Avraham Katz-Oz (replaced by Pini Shomer 28 May 1996), Yisrael Kessar, David Libai, Nawaf Massalha, Hagai Meirom, Ora Namir, Yitzhak Navon, Shimon Peres, Amir Peretz, Yitzhak Rabin, Haim Ramon, Moshe Shahal, Shimon Shetreet, Avraham Shochat, Edna Solodar, Ya'akov Tzur, Shevah Weiss, Ezer Weizman, Gad Yaacobi, Emanuel Zisman | 39 (Alignment dissolved and renamed Labor Party) | |
| 13 (1992–1996) | Shmuel Avital, Uzi Baram, Yossi Beilin, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Eli Ben-Menachem, Shlomo Bohbot, Avraham Burg (replaced by Haneh Hadad 5 July 1995), Ra'anan Cohen, Eli Dayan, Yael Dayan, Rafael Edri, Rafi Elul, Gedalia Gal, Micha Goldman, Eli Goldschmidt, Mordechai Gur (replaced by Avraham Katz-Oz 16 July 1995), Michael Harish, Dalia Itzik, Avigdor Kahalani (Left party to establish the Third Way), Yossi Katz, Yisrael Kessar, Yoram Lass, David Libai, Masha Lubelsky, Nawaf Massalha, Hagai Meirom, Ora Namir, Ori Orr, Shimon Peres, Amir Peretz, Yitzhak Rabin (replaced by Nava Arad 5 November 1995, left Labor to sit as Independent in 1996), Haim Ramon, Gideon Sagi, Moshe Shahal, Ya'akov Shefi, Shimon Shetreet, Avraham Shochat, Efraim Sneh, Salah Tarif, Yosef Vanunu, Shevah Weiss, Avraham Yehezkel, Emanuel Zisman (Left party to establish the Third Way), Nissim Zvili | 44 |
| 14 (1996–1997) | Adisu Massala (Left party to establish One Nation), Amir Peretz (Left party to establish One Nation), Avraham Shochat, Avraham Yehezkel, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Dalia Itzik, David Libai (Replaced by Eitan Cabel on 15 October 1996), Efi Oshaya, Efraim Sneh, Ehud Barak, Eli Ben-Menachem, Eli Goldschmidt, Hagai Meirom (Left party to establish Centre Party), Haim Ramon, Micha Goldman, Moshe Shahal (Replaced by Rafik Haj Yahia on 20 March 1998), Nawaf Massalha, Nissim Zvili (Left party to establish Centre Party), Ophir Pines-Paz, Ori Orr, Ra'anan Cohen, Rafael Edri, Rafi Elul, Saleh Tarif, Shalom Simhon, Shevah Weiss, Shimon Peres, Shlomo Ben-Ami, Sofa Landver, Uzi Baram, Yael Dayan, Yona Yahav, Yossi Beilin, Yossi Katz | 34 |
| 15 (1999–2003) | Ehud Barak (Resigned from Knesset and replaced by Eitan Cabel on 9 March 2001), Shimon Peres, Shlomo Ben-Ami (Resigned from Knesset and replaced by Orit Noked on 11 August 2002), Yossi Beilin (Resigned from Knesset and replaced by Eli Ben-Menachem on 17 November 1999), Matan Vilnai (Resigned from Knesset and replaced by Colette Avital on 17 November 1999), Avraham Burg, Ra'anan Cohen (Resigned from Knesset and replaced by Tzali Reshef on 21 August 2002), Uzi Baram (Resigned from Knesset and replaced by Efi Oshaya on 15 February 2001), Dalia Itzik, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Haim Ramon, Eli Goldschmidt (Resigned from Knesset and replaced by Mordechai Mishani of Gesher on 15 February 2001), Avraham Shochat, Yael Dayan, Ophir Pines-Paz, Efraim Sneh, Nawaf Massalha, Avraham Yehezkel, Sofa Landver, Salah Tarif, Shalom Simhon, Yossi Katz, Weizman Shiri | 22 (as part of One Israel) |
| 16th (2003–2006) | Amram Mitzna (Replaced by Salah Tarif on 23 February 2005, who was replaced by Ronen Tzur on 22 January 2006), Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Shimon Peres (Replaced by Wizman Shiry on 17 January 2006 when he left to join Kadima), Matan Vilnai, Avraham Burg (Replaced by Raleb Majadele on 28 June 2004), Dalia Itzik (Replaced by Avraham Yehezkel on 17 January 2006 when she left to join Kadima and then Dani Koren on 28 January 2006), Ophir Pines-Paz, Efraim Sneh, Yuli Tamir, Isaac Herzog, Haim Ramon (Replaced by Efi Oshaya on 18 January 2006 when he left to join Kadima and then by Tova Ilan of Meimad on 21 January 2006), Danny Yatom, Eitan Cabel, Avraham Shochat (Replaced by Sofa Landver on 11 January 2006 and then Orna Angel on 8 February 2006 and then Neta Dobrin on 15 February 2006), Colette Avital, Shalom Simhon, Orit Noked, Eli Ben-Menachem | 18 (as part of Labor-Meimad) |
| 17 (2006–2009) | Amir Peretz, Isaac Herzog, Ophir Pines-Paz, Avishay Braverman, Yuli Tamir, Ami Ayalon (Joined Meimad in November 2008), Eitan Cabel, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Shelly Yachimovich, Matan Vilnai, Colette Avital, Nadia Hilou, Shalom Simhon, Orit Noked, Yoram Marciano, Raleb Majadele, Efriam Sneh (replaced by Shakhiv Shana'an on 28 May 2008 when he left the Knesset to form his own party), Danny Yatom (replaced by Leon Litinetsky on 30 June 2008) | 18 (as part of Labor-Meimad) |
| 18 (2009–2013) | Shelly Yachimovich, Isaac Herzog, Avishay Braverman, Eitan Cabel, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Daniel Ben-Simon, Raleb Majadele, Yoram Marciano, Ophir Pines-Paz (replaced by Einat Wilf on 10 January 2010. Wilf resigned from Labor in January 2011 to form the Independence Party), Ehud Barak (resigned from Labor in January 2011 to form the Independence Party) Matan Vilnai resigned from Labor in January 2011 to form the Independence Party), Shalom Simhon (resigned from Labor in January 2011 to form the Independence Party), Orit Noked resigned from Labor in January 2011 to form the Independence Party), Amir Peretz (replaced by Yoram Marciano on 9 December 2012 when Peretz resigned to join Hatnua) | 13 (as Labor) |
| 19 (2013–2015) | Shelly Yachimovich, Isaac Herzog, Eitan Cabel, Merav Michaeli, Yehiel Bar, Omer Bar-Lev, Stav Shaffir, Avishay Braverman, Erel Margalit, Itzik Shmuli, Mickey Rosenthal, Michal Biran, Nachman Shai, Moshe Mizrahi, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (replaced by Raleb Majadele 14 December 2014) | 15 |
| 20 (2015–2019) | Isaac Herzog (replaced by Robert Tiviaev of Hatnua 31 July 2018), Shelly Yachimovich, Stav Shaffir, Itzik Shmuli, Omer Bar-Lev, Yehiel Bar, Amir Peretz (rejoined the Labor Party from Hatnua), Merav Michaeli, Eitan Cabel, Mickey Rosenthal, Revital Swid, Eitan Broshi, Michal Biran, Nachman Shai, Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin, Yossi Yona, Saleh Saad (replaced Manuel Trajtenberg on 3 October 2017), Leah Fadida (replaced Erel Margalit 6 October 2017), Zouheir Bahloul (replaced by Moshe Mizrahi 18 October 2018), Danny Atar (replaced by Yael Cohen Paran of Hatnua on 25 November 2015) | 19 (as part of Zionist Union) |
| 21 (April–September 2019) | Avi Gabbay, Tal Russo, Itzik Shmuli, Shelly Yachimovich, Amir Peretz, Merav Michaeli (replaced by Stav Shaffir 1 August 2019) | 6 (as Labor) |
| 22 (September 2019–2020) | Amir Peretz, Itzik Shmuli, Merav Michaeli, Omer Bar-Lev, Revital Swid | 5 (as part of Labor-Gesher) |
| 23 (2020–2021) | Amir Peretz (replaced by Ilan Gilon of Meretz 28 January 2021), Itzik Shmuli, Merav Michaeli | 3 (as part of Labor-Gesher-Meretz) |
| 24 (2021–2022) | Merav Michaeli, Emilie Moatti, Gilad Kariv, Efrat Rayten, Ram Shefa, Ibtisam Mara'ana, Omer Bar-Lev (replaced by Naama Lazimi 22 June 2021 under Norwegian Law) | 7 (as Labor) |
| 25 (2022–present) | Merav Michaeli, Naama Lazimi, Gilad Kariv, Efrat Rayten | 4 (as Labor) |