Yamina Explained

Yamina
Foundation:29 July 2019 (first time)
15 January 2020 (revival)
Dissolution:10 October 2019 (first time)
15 November 2022 (second time)
Country:Israel
National:Zionist Spirit (2022)
The Jewish Home (2022)
Affiliation1:New Right
Former:
The Jewish Home (until 2020)
National Union (until 2021)
Affiliation1 Title:Member parties
Leader:Ayelet Shaked[1]
Founders:Naftali Bennett
Ayelet Shaked
Colours: Blue
Green (former)
Slogan:
  • Naftali Bennett - There is Alternative Leadership
  • With Bennett This is Possible
Seats1 Title:Knesset
Symbol: (2019–2021)
(2021–2022)
(2021–2022)

[2]
Position:Right-wing[3] to far-right[4] [5]
Website: (archive)

Yamina or Yemina (;)[6] was an Israeli political alliance of right-wing parties that originally included the New Right and the Union of Right-Wing Parties (a union of The Jewish Home and Tkuma).[7] [8] The final incarnation of the alliance included only the New Right,[9] as The Jewish Home left the alliance on 14 July 2020,[10] and the Religious Zionist Party left on 20 January 2021.[11]

The list was created ahead of the September 2019 Israeli legislative election, in which Yamina secured seven seats in the Knesset.[12] The alliance was expected to split on 6 October, with the New Right as its own faction, while Tkuma and the Jewish Home will stay together, though the alliance continued to negotiate as a single bloc in the aftermath of the election.[13] The meeting on 6 October was postponed, with some citing disagreements on whether Yamina should split, while others referred to it as a "technical" matter.[14] The alliance did split on 10 October 2019,[15] and re-formed on 15 January 2020 in the run-up to the 2020 Israeli legislative election.[9]

History

On 21 July 2019, after not making it past the electoral threshold in the April 2019 Israeli legislative election, New Right leader Naftali Bennett decided to give leadership of the party to Ayelet Shaked. In her opening leadership speech, Shaked declared that she will seek to unite with the Union of Right-Wing Parties (URWP) and other right-wing parties.[16]

The following day, negotiations with the URWP began. The negotiations initially stalled, as URWP leader Rafi Peretz was unwilling to concede leadership of the list to Shaked, and disagreements arose over how many spots each of the three involved parties would receive on the list. Another subject that arose in the negotiations was whether the radical former URWP member Otzma Yehudit should be included in the new joint list.[17]

Sara Netanyahu (the wife of the former prime minister) was recorded speaking with Rafi Peretz' wife, Michal Peretz, in an attempt to convince Peretz to retain his number one slot on the list; she was unsuccessful. It was also revealed that Benjamin Netanyahu was involved (despite his denial).[18] The URWP and the New Right agreed to a joint run on 29 July 2019, with the New Right's Ayelet Shaked leading the joint list. As part of the agreement, the alliance declared that they would negotiate together to establish a right-wing government under Benjamin Netanyahu.[19]

On 22 April 2020, it was reported that Bennett was now "considering all options" for Yamina's political future, including departing from Netanyahu's government, which had just agreed to form a joint government with leader of the opposition Blue and White party Benny Gantz, and joining the opposition. Bennett was reported to be unhappy with the new coalition government's decision to hold back on the issue of judicial reform.[20]

In May 2020, Yamina announced that it would go to opposition.[21] The day before, Peretz, the leader of The Jewish Home, had split from the party, and would be named as the Minister of Jerusalem in the thirty-fifth government of Israel.[22] [23] [24] On 17 May 2020, Bennett met with Gantz, who also succeeded him as Defence Minister, and declared that Yamina was now a "head held high" member of the opposition.[25]

Tkuma, which rebranded as the Religious Zionist Party on 7 January 2021,[26] split from Yamina on 20 January.[11] On 9 May 2021, it was reported that Bennett and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid had made major headway in the coalition talks for forming a new Israeli government.[27] [28] On 30 May 2021, Bennett announced in a televised address that Yamina would join a unity government with Yair Lapid after all but one Yamina MK agreed to back this decision.[29] A poll at the time found that 61% of Yamina voters would not vote for the party due to it being part of the unity government.[30]

Yamina announced on 27 July 2022 that it had allied with Derekh Eretz as the Zionist Spirit alliance to contest the 2022 Israeli legislative election.[31] Yamina left the alliance on 11 September 2022,[32] at the insistence of The Jewish Home, which had asked on 9 September that Shaked split from Derekh Eretz as a prerequisite for a joint run between itself and Shaked.[33] Party members of The Jewish Home (including Hagit Moshe and Yossi Brodny) had ratified an agreement on a joint run between Yamina and itself two days later.[34] The joint run was expected to be announced on 12 September, though it was not held that day due to disagreements within The Jewish Home on the details.[35] The announcement was made the next day[36] and the joint run was approved by the central committee of The Jewish Home on 14 September.[37] Yamina failed to cross the electoral threshold.[38]

Platform

Ayelet Shaked listed 11 principles that the Yamina list is determined to uphold:[39]

  1. Jewish Identity: We will work to strengthen the Jewish identity of the State of Israel, and to strengthen the connection of Israeli students to the Torah, the Land of Israel, and the Jewish religious heritage.
  2. Nationality: We will act for the implementation of the Nation-state Law and the prevention of any harm to it, while continuing to ensure individual rights and equality for all Israeli citizens.
  3. Unity of the land: We are the only party that opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state and any withdrawal from the territories of the Land of Israel. We will work to develop settlements throughout the country.
  4. Sovereignty: We will act for the full and equitable application of national sovereignty and the rule of law to all citizens and residents of Israel, including the end of the military administration of West Bank and the application of Israeli sovereignty to the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
  5. Determination against terror: We will defeat terrorism with determination and without compromise, we will defeat Gaza border terrorism and end the allowances paid to terrorists by the Palestinian Authority. We will bring back the corpses of IDF soldiers and charge a price from Hamas for its actions, with total resistance to the release of imprisoned terrorists. We will act to assist disabled IDF veterans and the victims of the conflict.
  6. Aliyah: We will work towards the implementation of a national Aliyah policy, which will promote Jewish immigration and remove unnecessary barriers to immigration. We will prevent illegal immigration of migrant workers to Israel and prevent the abuse of family re-unification policies.
  7. Competition and liberty: We will promote competition to break up monopolies and cartels, open the economy to international competition, and reduce central planning in the economy. We will promote competition in the housing market, release land for construction, and implement taxation policies that will spur development. We will streamline regulation, reduce the regulatory burden on employers, which will encourage employment and productivity, and create a comfortable environment for a sharing economy and the high tech industry.
  8. Right to work: We will reform the labor law so that unions can only represent all workers in a workplace if they have a majority of its workers unionized. We will implement mandatory government arbitration to solve labor disputes in essential government services and increase transparency in labor organizations.
  9. Governability: We will strengthen the values of governability and democracy. We will strengthen the status of the Knesset as a legislative authority and restore confidence in the Supreme Court as the judicial authority, in accordance with the law. We will strengthen the status of elected officials in the face of the un-elected bureaucracy.
  10. Social responsibility: We will enact economic and medical protection for the disabled and the elderly, while integrating people with disabilities in education, society, and the labor market.
  11. Galilee and the Negev: We will strengthen the Galilee and the Negev with additional employment opportunities, housing, health care, tourism, culture, and transport. We will encourage capital investment and private initiatives that will strengthen human capital and allow families to settle and remain in the Galilee and the Negev. We will strengthen agriculture and the Labor settlements.

Alongside these united principles, each party retains its own independent platform. Thus, the New Right represents the more "liberal" Religious and Secular right, The Jewish Home represents "mainstream" Religious Zionism, while Tkuma represents the more hawkish and Chardal Religious Zionists.

Composition

Former

NameIdeologyPositionLeader
National UnionReligious Zionism, ultranationalismRight-wing to far-rightBezalel Smotrich
The Jewish HomeReligious Zionism, religious conservatismRight-wing to far-rightHagit Moshe

Former MKs

Yamina had four members at the end of the 24th Knesset.

– New Right

NameNotes
Naftali BennettFormer Alternate Prime Minister of Israel, former Prime Minister of Israel, former leader of the New Right, former leader of The Jewish Home, and former Minister of Defense
Yomtob Kalfon[40]
Nir Orbach
Orna Starkmann

A number of Yamina MKs have left the party during the 24th Knesset.

NameNotesCurrent party
Abir Kara[41] Former Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's OfficeEconomic Freedom
Idit Silman[42] Former Parliamentary Whip for the 36th Government of IsraelLikud
Amichai Chikli[43] Likud
Matan Kahana[44] National Unity
Shirly Pinto[45] National Unity

Leaders

LeaderTook officeLeft office
Ayelet Shaked20192019
Naftali Bennett20202022
Ayelet Shaked2022Present

Election results

ElectionLeaderVotes%Seats+/–Government
Sep 2019Ayelet Shaked260,6555.87 (#7) 1
2020align=left rowspan=2Naftali Bennett240,1625.25 (#8) 1
2021273,8366.21 (#5) 1
2022Ayelet ShakedPart of The Jewish Home 7

Notes and References

  1. News: Amit Segal & Daphna Liel . 29 June 2022. Naftali Bennett not to run in next elections, Shaked to head Yamina. 21 June 2022 . N12/JPost . en.
  2. Web site: ימינה בראשות נפתלי בנט. Central Election Committee for the Knesset. 2021-06-14. he.
  3. Web site: Bennett, Shaked quit Jewish Home, announce formation of 'The New Right'. 29 December 2018. The Times of Israel. 4 April 2021.
  4. News: Israel's Netanyahu not admitting defeat as a new government coalition takes shape. June 3, 2021. Globe and Mail. "Potential defections mean the “change” coalition, led by Naftali Bennett’s far-right Yamina party and Yair Lapid’s centrist Yesh Atid party".
  5. Web site: Naftali Bennett: The right-wing millionaire who may end Netanyahu era. Reuters. June 2, 2021. "Bennett, who leads the far-right Yamina party, said a fifth vote would be a national calamity".
  6. Web site: United Right to run under name 'Yemina'. Arutz Sheva. 12 August 2019. .
  7. Web site: Right-wing parties form alliance to be led by Shaked . . 30 July 2019 . Jeremy Sharon.
  8. Web site: Magid. Jacob. Likud again pushing to get extremists into Knesset on far-right slate. 31 July 2020. The Times of Israel. en-US. far-right Jewish Home and National Union factions.
  9. Web site: Bennett, Peretz, Smotrich agree to joint run without Ben Gvir. Arutz Sheva. Staff writer. 15 January 2020. 15 January 2020.
  10. Web site: Jewish Home formally splits off from Yamina. Arutz Sheva. Hezki Baruch. 14 July 2020. 14 July 2020.
  11. News: Bennett's Yamina party formally splits. Gil. Hoffman. The Jerusalem Post. 20 January 2021. 20 January 2021.
  12. Web site: 95% of votes counted: 33 seats for Blue & White, 32 for Likud . . 18 September 2019.
  13. Web site: Yamina to officially split on Sunday . The Jerusalem Post. 4 October 2019.
  14. Web site: Ahead of Yamina split, Smotrich calls for religious slates to stick together. The Times of Israel. 7 October 2019. Jacob Magid.
  15. Web site: Yamina party officially splits into New Right, Jewish Home-National Union. The Times of Israel. 10 October 2019. Raoul Wootliff.
  16. Web site: Taking reins from Bennett, Shaked urges right-wing slates to unite beneath her. The Times of Israel. 15 January 2019. 21 July 2019. Jacob Magid.
  17. Web site: Extremist Otzma Yehudit still seeking merger with United Right as deadline nears. The Times of Israel. en. 5 August 2019. 1 August 2019. Raoul Wootliff.
  18. Web site: Leaked recordings reveal Sara Netanyahu's efforts to sabotage URWP-Shaked merger. The Times of Israel. en. 29 July 2019. .
  19. Web site: New Right, United Right reach final agreement on joint run. Arutz Sheva. en. 29 July 2019. 29 July 2019. .
  20. News: Netanyahu speaks with Bennett as Yamina considers joining unity government. Raoul. Wootliff. The Times of Israel. 22 April 2020. 22 April 2020.
  21. Web site: Gur. Haviv Rettig. How vulnerable is Netanyahu? A right-wing backbencher gives PM cause for worry. 18 July 2020. The Times of Israel. en-US.
  22. News: After year of deadlock and days of delays, Knesset swears in new Israeli government. 17 June 2020. Haaretz. en.
  23. Web site: Rabbi Rafi Peretz signs coalition agreement with the Likud. Arutz Sheva. 15 May 2020. Ido Ben Porat.
  24. News: Hamodia. Minister Rafi Peretz Leaves Yamina to Join New Government. 14 May 2020.
  25. Web site: Magid. Jacob. Yamina chair says party heading to opposition with 'head held high'. 17 June 2020. The Times of Israel. en-US.
  26. Web site: 'Post' poll shows mergers capable of bringing down Netanyahu. The Jerusalem Post. Gil. Hoffman. 7 January 2021. 21 January 2021.
  27. News: Lapid, Bennett make major headway in coalition talks: reports. I24 News. 9 May 2021. 10 May 2021.
  28. News: Report: Lapid, Bennett make major headway in coalition talks. Yehuda. Shlezinger. Israel Hayom. 10 May 2021. 10 May 2021.
  29. News: With his party's support, Bennett says he's heading into government with Lapid. The Times of Israel. 30 May 2021. 30 May 2021.
  30. Web site: 2021-05-31. Poll: Most Yamina Voters Displeased With Bennett. 2021-05-31. Hamodia. en.
  31. News: Carrie Keller-Lynn . 27 July 2022. Beleaguered right-wing leaders Shaked and Hendel unite as Zionist Spirit party. 27 July 2022 . . en.
  32. Web site: Zionist Spirit's Shaked and Hendel end their short-lived political partnership. 11 September 2022. 11 September 2022. Staff writer. The Times of Israel.
  33. Web site: Jewish Home issues ultimatum to Shaked: Split from Hendel and Hauser . 9 September 2022. 11 September 2022. Israel National News.
  34. Web site: Jewish Home approves joint run with Yamina. Israel National News. 11 September 2022. 11 September 2022.
  35. Web site: Shaked and Jewish Home chairman to hold press conference on Monday morning. Israel National News. 11 September 2022. 11 September 2022.
  36. Web site: Shaked signs deal for joint run with Jewish Home . Israel National News. 13 September 2022. Hezki Baruch.
  37. Web site: 48 days to the elections: Jewish Home Central Committee approves agreement with Shaked. Arutz Sheva. 14 September 2022. 14 September 2022. Hezki Baruch.
  38. Web site: Netanyahu won 8-seat majority over his opponents despite near-parity in raw votes. Jeremy. Sharon. 3 November 2022. 13 October 2023. The Times of Israel.
  39. Web site: אנחנו בימין המאוחד מחויבים, בראש ובראשונה, לציבור בישראל ולערכי הימין.. Facebook. he. 5 August 2019. 8 August 2019. Ayelet Shaked.
  40. Web site: Three new Knesset members declare allegiance to the Knesset plenum. Israel National News. 19 September 2022. 27 September 2022.
  41. Web site: Former Yamina MK registers candidates for new Economic Freedom party. The Times of Israel. 15 September 2022. 25 September 2022. Carrie Keller-Lynn.
  42. Web site: Arab-led Joint List splits into 2 factions, shuffling political deck at last minute. Carrie Keller-Lynn. The Times of Israel. 16 September 2022. 25 September 2022.
  43. Web site: Netanyahu selects Idit Silman, Amichai Chikli for Likud list. Staff writer. The Jerusalem Post. 14 September 2022. 26 September 2022.
  44. Web site: Obel . Ash . Shaked swipes at Kahana as he leaves Yamina for 'statesmanlike left-wing camp' . 25 September 2022 . . en-US. 14 August 2022.
  45. Web site: Israel Elections: Shirely Pinto leaves Zionist Spirit for Gantz's National Unity. The Jerusalem Post. 22 August 2022. 27 September 2022.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Yamina".

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