Zehut Explained

Zehut
Native Name:זהות
Native Name Lang:he
Leader:Moshe Feiglin
Split:Likud
Headquarters:Tel Aviv
Position:Right-wing[1] to far-right[2] [3]
Colours: Light blue
Seats1 Title:Knesset
Country:Israel

Zehut is a right-libertarian[4] [5] [6] and nationalist[2] [3] political party in Israel founded in 2015 by Moshe Feiglin.[7] Its platform is centered on promoting individual liberty, including economic freedom, and annexing the West Bank. The party also advocates for legalization of cannabis.[8] [5]

History

Manhigut Yehudit

The roots of Zehut lie in the Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) movement within the Likud party, established in 1995 by Moshe Feiglin in order to attain the country's leadership through it, eventually receiving 23% of the votes in the 2012 Likud leadership election. In the 2013 elections, Feiglin was elected to the 19th Knesset, and served as its Deputy Speaker.[9]

After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took active steps to block Feiglin's advancement in the party,[10] he reached the conclusion that it would be impossible to affect any political changes while acting within the Likud. In 2015, he left it to form the Zehut party, which was officially registered later that year.[11] [12] [13]

Rallies

Zehut's first conference, held in 2017 at Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv Port, had over 2,000 attendees.[14]

Idan Mor, a prominent stand-up comedian and cannabis legalization activist known by his pseudonym "Gadi Wilcherski", joined the party in December 2018, and has appeared in most of its rallies since.

Polls

Prior to 2019, Zehut had never been listed in a poll by media outlets, but internal polling in April 2017 showed that the party could win up to 12 Knesset seats if voters were confident that it would pass the 3.25% threshold.[15] Many pollsters kept excluding Zehut as a pre-written selectable option as late as 11 March 2019.[16] Since then, every poll conducted by various organizations have showed that Zehut would pass the threshold, receiving 4–8 seats.

In July 2018, Zehut announced it would be holding Israel's first open primaries.[17] They were held on 29 January 2019 at voting booths as well as online. About 12,000 people voted in these primaries, which determined the order of the candidates who won in the party's internal primaries in September 2017.[18] [19] One out of every 10 candidates is represented by Zehut International, the party's Jewish diaspora branch.[20]

In late March 2019, a major poll conducted by the National Union of Students found that Zehut was the 2nd-most popular party (after Blue and White) among Israeli college and university students.[21]

April 2019 campaign

During the campaign for the April 2019 election, Feiglin stated that he did not have a preference between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main election rival Benny Gantz.[22]

Zehut made cannabis legalization a condition for joining any government after the April elections,[23] and would pursue the finance and education ministries.[4] Feiglin also stated that the party will not join a government that is willing to sell out the Land of Israel.[24]

September 2019 campaign

After narrowly missing the Knesset threshold in the April 2019 election, Feiglin announced on 30 May that Zehut will run in the September snap election. He expressed openness to run as part of an alliance on the right,[25] and urged "all political figures who see themselves as part of the freedom camp" to join it.[26] Feiglin and New Right leader Naftali Bennett discussed a potential electoral alliance (whose leader Feiglin preferred be elected in open primaries) in a meeting that was described as "long and positive".[27]

Feiglin also said that while Zehut's platform and principles had not changed, it would make a number of strategic changes, including clearly emphasizing that it is a right-wing party, and no longer make cannabis legalization a condition for joining any government coalition.

Upon taking the leadership of the New Right and merging with the Union of Right-Wing Parties to form Yamina, Ayelet Shaked expressed openness towards bringing Zehut and Otzma Yehudit into the alliance.[28] Zehut also engaged in direct talks with Otzma Yehudit for a joint list,[29] with backing from Netanyahu after Likud internal polling showed that the two parties together would pass the electoral threshold.[30] Ultimately, however, Feiglin announced that Zehut would be running alone, accusing Shaked of ignoring overtures by his party.[31]

Netanyahu later sent messengers to urge Zehut to drop out of the election, offering to help pay the party’s debts and merge the party into the Likud. However, Feiglin initially declined the offer, claiming that his voter base would support Benny Gantz, Avigdor Lieberman or stay home if that took place.[32] Netanyahu subsequently met with Feiglin to offer him a senior position in the Ministry of Finance, the adoption of some of Zehut's economic policies, and ease access to medical cannabis providing he drop his election bid. Feiglin then declared that if he received an agreeable proposal, he would put it to a vote by Zehut supporters.[33] [34]

On 29 August 2019, Feiglin announced an agreement with Netanyahu had been reached and that Zehut would withdraw from the election, pending approval by the Zehut membership. According to the terms of the agreement, the parties would not merge, but Feiglin would serve as a minister in the next government, and the next government would implement some of Zehut's economic and cannabis reforms.[35]

On 1 September, the Zehut membership approved the deal and the party withdrew from the election.[36]

2020, 2021 abstentions and dissolution

The party did not contest the 2020[37] or 2021 elections.[38]

In July 2021, Feiglin announced that he was rejoining Likud.[39]

Reformation

In January 2024, Feiglin left Likud and reestablished the party.[40]

Platform

The party platform of Zehut consists of the following positions:[41]

April 2019 Knesset candidates

The following order of Knesset candidates was chosen in Israel's first open primaries:[42]

  1. Moshe Feiglin, Party Chairman and ex-Likud lawmaker
  2. Rabbi Haim Amsalem, ex-Shas lawmaker and religious freedom activist who joined the party after the primaries were held
  3. Gilad Alper, senior economist and candidate for Finance Minister
  4. Dr. Ronit Dror, sociologist and rights activist
  5. Libby Molad, lawyer, Objectivist, and candidate for Education Minister
  6. Shai Malka, Party Campaign Manager
  7. Dr. Refael Minnes, physics lecturer and classical liberal activist
  8. Albert Levy, businessman, environmental activist, and new olim representative
  9. Ron Tsafrir, cannabis legalization activist and medical cannabis consumer
  10. Rabbi Ben Tzion Spitz, Representative of Diaspora Jewry
  11. Yiska Bina
  12. Shmuel Sackett, led the Zo Artzeinu movement alongside Moshe Feiglin in 1995
  13. Shlomo Gordon
  14. Arcady Mutter
  15. Rabbi Dudi Spitz

Election results

Election yearParty leaderNo. of votes% of voteNo. of seats
won		+/-Government
April 2019Moshe Feiglin118,0312.7 (13th)New partyN/A
September 2019Moshe FeiglinN/A (withdrew from election)N/AN/AN/A

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: 29 July 2019. Shaked shakes up politics again, with new merger on Israeli right. Dov Lipman. 26 August 2019. Jewish News Syndicate.
  2. News: A Pro-Pot Candidate Could Prove Decisive in Israeli Election. Kershner. Isabel. 5 April 2019. The New York Times. 7 April 2019. ...a far-right nationalist libertarian who advocates small government, legalizing marijuana and a free-market economy..
  3. News: Moshe Feiglin: the far-right libertarian who could decide Israel's general election. Pfeffer. Anshel. The Times. 4 April 2019. 7 April 2019. ...Zehut (Identity), the new libertarian party whose poll surge has surprised everyone...pushing for various far-right nationalist policies.
  4. Web site: The Feiglin phenomenon. Harkov. Lahav. 17 March 2019. The Jerusalem Post. 17 March 2019. The leader of the rising Zehut Party is attracting more than just young potheads to his libertarian platform.
  5. Web site: Zehut. Israel Democracy Institute. 21 February 2019. ...and personal liberty. Its platform includes libertarian economic positions....
  6. News: A pro-pot party could tip the scales in Israel's upcoming election. Eglash. Ruth. 4 April 2019. The Washington Post. 7 April 2019. Now you have two special-interest groups. What pulls them together is the strong libertarian, anti-state agenda that works well for both..
  7. Web site: Feiglin's 'Zehut' party heads to the polls. Arutz Sheva. 29 August 2019. Tzivi Lev. 12 September 2017.
  8. Web site: Zehut Platform. Zehut. en-US. 21 February 2019.
  9. Web site: Former Likud MK Moshe Feiglin Establishes New Political Party . jpupdates.com. 1 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20150325063455/http://jpupdates.com/2015/02/26/moshe-feiglin-establishes-new-party/. 25 March 2015. Jacob Kornbluh. Jacob Kornbluh. 26 February 2015.
  10. News: Feiglin won't appeal bump to 36th spot. Ynetnews. 29 August 2019. Amnon Meranda. 11 December 2008.
  11. Web site: Feiglin to register new political party. The Jerusalem Post. Gil Stern Hoffman. 30 March 2015. 29 August 2019.
  12. Web site: Feiglin Establishing New Party for Next Knesset Election. Haaretz. Jonathan Lis. 6 April 2015. 29 August 2019.
  13. Web site: Feiglin Registers 'Zehut' Party. Arutz Sheva. 29 August 2019. 16 July 2015. Ido Ben Porat.
  14. Web site: Feiglin: Return the State to the People. Arutz Sheva. 29 August 2019. 28 February 2017. Yoni Kempinski.
  15. News: Feiglin to take advantage of Likud's weakness to promote his new party. The Jerusalem Post. 29 August 2019. 14 September 2016. Gil Hoffman.
  16. Web site: Political Opinion Polling and Zehut. The Times of Israel blogs. en-US. 29 August 2019. 4 March 2019. Lisa Liel.
  17. Web site: Moshe Feiglin relaunches right wing political party. Gil Hoffman. The Jerusalem Post. en. 29 August 2019. 25 July 2018.
  18. Web site: Open primaries are good for all Israelis and good for Israel. Albert Levy. 27 January 2019. The Jerusalem Post. 11 February 2019.
  19. Web site: With first open primaries, Moshe Feiglin's 'Zehut' looks for a public identity. Wootliff. Raoul. The Times of Israel. en-US. 29 August 2019. 29 January 2019.
  20. Web site: Zehut is all about leadership. Arutz Sheva. 19 June 2017. 3 January 2017.
  21. News: Gantz, Feiglin top election poll for Israeli college students . . 1 April 2019 . 29 August 2019. Staff writer. Staff writer .
  22. Web site: Feiglin says no preference between Gantz and Netanyahu for next PM. The Times of Israel. en-US. 30 March 2019. 29 March 2019. Staff writer. Staff writer.
  23. Web site: Cannabis Potential and the Cronies: By Moshe Feiglin. Karzen. Shelly. 11 February 2019. Zehut. en-US. 9 March 2019.
  24. Web site: Will ZEHUT Give Up the Land of Israel for Cannabis? Moshe Feiglin answers. Karzen. Shelly. 27 March 2019. Zehut. en-US. 31 March 2019.
  25. News: Feiglin: We're open to alliances on the right. Arutz Sheva. 29 August 2019. 30 May 2019. Staff writer. Staff writer.
  26. Web site: Feiglin confirms seeking political bond for Zehut. The Jerusalem Post. 1 June 2019. 1 June 2019. Gil Hoffman.
  27. Web site: Feiglin confirms meeting Bennett to discuss cooperating in elections. Staff writer. The Times of Israel. en-US. 3 June 2019. 2 June 2019. Staff writer.
  28. Web site: Shaked says she will try to include Otzma Yehudit, Zehut in right-wing union. The Times of Israel. 29 August 2019. 29 July 2019.
  29. Web site: Moshe Feiglin, Itamar Ben-Gvir might merge to better parties' chances. The Jerusalem Post. 24 July 2019. 29 August 2019. Staff writer. Staff writer.
  30. Web site: Netanyahu trying to convince Otzma Yehudit and Zehut to merge — report. The Times of Israel. 29 July 2019. 29 August 2019.
  31. Web site: Zehut announces it will run alone. Arutz Sheva. 28 July 2019. 29 August 2019. Staff writer. Staff writer.
  32. Web site: Likud fears small right-wing parties will fail elections. Danny. Zaken. 26 August 2019. Al-Monitor.
  33. Web site: Mounting pressure on smaller right-wing parties to drop out of elections. The Jerusalem Post.
  34. News: The Times of Israel. Netanyahu offers Feiglin a cabinet post, pot deregulation to bow out of race. 26 August 2019.
  35. News: The Jerusalem Post. Netanyahu promises Feiglin ministry so that Zehut Party ends race. 29 August 2019. Gil Hoffman. 29 August 2019.
  36. Web site: Zehut Members Approve Dropout Deal With Likud. 1 September 2019. Hamodia.
  37. News: Haaretz. Right-wing Zehut Party Won't Run in Israel's Third Election. 13 December 2019.
  38. News: Arutz Sheva. Feiglin: I will not run in the next election. 25 December 2020. Hezki Baruch.
  39. Web site: Former Zehut Party head Moshe Feiglin announces return to Likud. The Jerusalem Post. 1 December 2021.
  40. Web site: Feiglin urges resettling Gaza, says his far-right party will aim to replace Netanyahu. Canaan Lidor. The Times of Israel. 20 April 2024. 17 January 2024.
  41. Web site: The Zehut Platform Summary. 4 April 2019. Zehut. en-US.
  42. Web site: The ZEHUT Knesset List. Zehut. en-US. 31 March 2019.

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