Zionist Union Explained

Zionist Union
Leader:	Isaac Herzog (2014–2017) Tzipi Livni (2014–2019) Avi Gabbay (2017–2019)
Ideology:	Zionism Social democracy Social liberalism Progressivism^[1] Green politics Two-state solution Factions: Labor Zionism Liberal Zionism Green Zionism
Headquarters:	Tel Aviv, Israel
Country:	Israel
Affiliation1 Title:	Alliance of
Affiliation1:	Labor Party Hatnuah Green Movement
Position:	Centre-left^[2]
Colours:	Blue, white, red

The Zionist Union (Hebrew: הַמַחֲנֶה הַצִיּוֹנִי, translit. HaMaḥaneh HaẒiyoni, lit. the Zionist Camp) was a centre-left political alliance in Israel. It was established in December 2014 by the Israeli Labor Party and Hatnuah to create a joint electoral list to contest the 2015 elections with the hope of unseating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It failed to do so but did come in second place with 24 seats in the Knesset, forming the official opposition. However, tension between the Union's competing factions resulted in its dissolution in early January 2019, ahead of that year's April election.^[3]

History

The Labor Party and Hatnuah agreed on 10 December 2014 to form a joint ticket.^[4] The list was established to create a large electoral list for the centre-left bloc, in the hope that it will lead the 34th government. Hatnuah leader Tzipi Livni has said that other parties will also be part of the alliance.^[5] Livni and Labor leader Isaac Herzog initially said that if the alliance were to win enough seats to lead the next government, they would rotate in the post of Prime Minister, with Herzog serving for the first half of the Knesset's four-year term and Livni for the second half,^[6] though Livni announced on 16 March 2015 that only Herzog would serve as prime minister.^[7]

Manuel Trajtenberg, number 11 on the list, was the list's candidate for finance minister. Amos Yadlin was the list's candidate for defense minister, though he was not a candidate for the Knesset.^[8] The Green Movement also had representation on the list through the addition of Yael Cohen Paran, selected by Livni, on a spot (No. 25) reserved for Hatnuah members.^[9]

Composition

Name		Ideology	Position	Leader	20th Knesset
	Labor	Social democracy	Centre-left	Isaac Herzog Avi Gabbay
	Hatnua	Liberalism	Centre to centre-left	Tzipi Livni
	Green Movement	Green politics	Centre-left to left-wing	Yael Cohen Paran

Ideology and platform

Main issues

Key issues for the Zionist Union included the following:^{[10] [11] [12] [13] [14]}

• Solving economic woes and reducing the cost of living
  • Tackling the housing crisis by providing land for free in the public domain for housing developments and increasing overall government expenditure^[15]
  • Reducing the costs of health care, education, and basic goods
  • Closing the gap between rich and poor
• Reigniting negotiations with the Palestinians
  • Initiating negotiations as part of a collective effort with regional allies Egypt and Jordan, before presenting a peace initiative to the Arab League
  • Shifting Israeli–Palestinian conflict resolution away from unilateral action (including that by the Palestinian Authority at UN agencies and the ICC) and back to a bilateral process supported by the international community
  • Halting construction in isolated settlements
• Repairing ties with the United States and the European Union

Other positions

In addition, the Zionist Union is in favor of the following:

• The enactment of green legislation^[16]
  • Dismantlement of "the gas monopoly"
  • Implementation of Clean Air Law measures
  • Removal of environmental hazards from the Haifa Bay by preventing the expansion of Oil Refineries Ltd. and evacuating the ammonia facility
  • Stronger protection for animal welfare
• Greater progress and pluralism on religion-and-state issues^[17]
  • Civil marriage in Israel, including for same-sex couples^[18]
  • Legal standing to non-Orthodox streams of Judaism
  • Partial operation of public transportation on Saturdays
• The legalization of medical marijuana^[19]

2015 election

See main article: Israeli legislative election, 2015.

List of Knesset members

See main article: Full Zionist Union list for Israeli legislative election, 2015. The following are the candidates elected to the 20th Knesset from the Zionist Union's party list.^[20]

1. Isaac Herzog
2. Tzipi Livni
3. Shelly Yachimovich
4. Stav Shaffir
5. Itzik Shmuli
6. Omer Bar-Lev
7. Yehiel Bar
8. Amir Peretz
9. Merav Michaeli
10. Eitan Cabel
11. Mickey Rosenthal
12. Revital Swid
13. Yoel Hasson
14. Zouheir Bahloul
15. Eitan Broshi
16. Michal Biran
17. Nachman Shai
18. Ksenia Svetlova
19. Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin
20. Yossi Yona
21. Eyal Ben-Reuven
22. Yael Cohen-Paran
23. Saleh Saad
24. Leah Fadida

Election results

After the election, the Zionist Union emerged as the second-largest party in the Knesset, with 24 seats. It triumphed in Tel Aviv and its prosperous suburbs, as well as other liberal areas.^{[21] [22]} Its success was mostly in affluent areas, and it won the highest number of votes in 28 of Israel's 33 wealthiest communities.^[23]

Notes and References

1. Web site: UTJ dismisses Zionist Union manifesto on religion and state as irrelevant. The Jerusalem Post. 9 March 2015. 1 January 2019. Jeremy Sharon.
2. News: Israeli centre-left alliance looks to unseat Netanyahu . Aron Heller . Associated Press . 29 January 2015 . 14 June 2015.
3. News: Dramatic Split in Israeli Left as Labor Party Breaks Away From Tzipi Livni. Jonathan Lis. Haaretz. 1 January 2019. 1 January 2019.
4. News: Labor, Livni agree to join forces ahead of elections . Haaretz . 10 December 2014 . 14 June 2015.
5. News: Two Israeli parties unite against Netanyahu . Al Jazeera English . 11 December 2014 . 14 June 2015.
6. News: Isabel Kershner . Isabel Kershner . Alliance Adds Twist to Israeli Elections . . 11 December 2014 . A8 . 14 June 2015.
7. News: Marissa Newman . Livni forgoes rotating premiership with Herzog . . 16 March 2015 . 14 June 2015.
8. News: Jonathan Lis . Former IDF intel chief joins Zionist Camp; Mofaz doesn't . Haaretz . 19 January 2015 . 14 June 2015.
9. News: Center-left Zionist Camp presents party list: We are the true Zionists . Moran Azulay . Ynetnews . 25 January 2015 . 14 June 2015.
10. News: Key facts about Israel and its election system . Associated Press . 17 March 2015 . 14 June 2015.
11. News: Jodi Rudoren . Netanyahu Soundly Defeats Chief Rival in Israeli Elections . The New York Times . 18 March 2015 . A1 . 14 June 2015.
12. Moran Azulay, Zionist Union unveils party platform: Mending ties with US, reducing cost of living, Ynetnews (8 March 2015)
13. News: William Booth . Ruth Eglash . Could Isaac Herzog become Israel's next prime minister? . The Washington Post . 21 February 2015.
14. News: Hoffman . Gil . Israel politics: Platforms for the politically perplexed . The Jerusalem Post.
15. News: Niv Elis . 3 February 2015 . In Zionist Union platform, Trajtenberg calls for giving land for free . 14 June 2015.
16. News: Sharon Udasin . It's tough to be green: Parties outline their platforms . The Jerusalem Post . 6 March 2015.
17. News: Jeremy Sharon . UTJ dismisses Zionist Union manifesto on religion and state as irrelevant . The Jerusalem Post . 9 March 2015.
18. News: Gay Marriage Takes Center Stage in Israeli Election Campaign . Israel Today . 9 January 2015.
19. News: Ido Efrati . 11 March 2015 . Grass roots support: Most Israeli parties favor use of medical marijuana . Haaretz . 14 June 2015.
20. Web site: Candidates for Knesset Lists in English . Jeremy's Knesset Insider . 31 January 2015 . 14 June 2015.
21. News: Abiding Rifts Within Israel Threaten to Widen With Netanyahu Win . Isabel Kershner . Isabel Kershner . The New York Times . 20 March 2015.
22. News: Likud wins big across Israel, while Zionist Union makes massive gains on Gaza border . Ynetnews . 18 March 2015.
23. News: Netanyahu and Likud won by taking poorer Jewish towns, West Bank settlements . Or Kashti . Haaretz . 19 March 2015.