Likud
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| Likud | |
|---|---|
| Name | Likud |
| Native name | הליכוד |
| Leader | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| Founded | 1973 |
| Headquarters | Tel Aviv |
| Country | Israel |
Likud.
Likud is a major Israeli political party formed in 1973 that has been a dominant force in Israeli politics, producing multiple prime ministers and shaping national policy. The party traces its roots to the merger of several right-leaning and revisionist Zionist movements and has been central to debates involving Israel–Palestine conflict, territorial compromise, Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin, Benjamin Netanyahu, and coalition politics with parties such as Shas, United Torah Judaism, Yisrael Beiteinu, and Blue and White (political alliance).
History
The party emerged from a 1973 alliance that brought together factions connected to Herut (political party), Liberal Party (Israel), and activists associated with the legacy of Ze'ev Jabotinsky and Revisionist Zionism. Early leaders included Menachem Begin who led Likud to victory in the 1977 Israeli legislative election, 1977—ending decades of Mapai dominance and initiating policies linked to the Camp David Accords and later outcomes affecting Sinai Peninsula and Egypt–Israel relations. The 1980s saw coalition participation with Labor and confrontations over issues like the First Lebanon War and economic stabilization involving figures from Bank of Israel and finance ministries. Likud governments under Benjamin Netanyahu in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s engaged with leaders such as Yasser Arafat, Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert, and international counterparts including Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Vladimir Putin during negotiations and crises such as the Second Intifada and responses to Hamas. Internal shifts involved defections and new formations like Kadima led by Ariel Sharon and later realignments with The Jewish Home and New Hope.
Ideology and Platform
The party’s platform synthesizes elements of Revisionist Zionism, liberal economic policies influenced by leaders such as Yitzhak Shamir and neoliberal reformers, and security-oriented stances shaped by veterans of the Israel Defense Forces and intelligence services like Shin Bet and Mossad. Likud positions on settlements intersect with actors including Gush Emunim, discussions about the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the status of Jerusalem. Economic policy debates within the party reference reforms associated with Benjamin Netanyahu’s finance ministers and advisors connected to institutions such as the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University. The party’s diplomatic posture has engaged with multilateral frameworks involving United Nations, bilateral ties with countries such as United States, Russia, China, and regional arrangements including the Abraham Accords.
Organizational Structure and Leadership
Likud’s internal governance features leadership elections, a central committee, and regional branches in cities including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beersheba. Prominent leaders besides party heads include Knesset members such as Ariel Sharon (prior to Kadima), Yitzhak Shamir, Moshe Arens, Avigdor Lieberman (who later formed Yisrael Beiteinu), Gideon Sa'ar, Gideon Sa’ar, Tzipi Hotovely, and factional figures linked to movements like Betar. The party interacts with trade unions and business networks tied to institutions like the Histadrut and major Israeli corporations, while its parliamentary group operates within the Knesset and committee system such as the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and Finance Committee.
Electoral Performance
Likud’s electoral history includes landmark victories in the Israeli legislative election, 1977, multiple returns to power in the Israeli legislative election, 1996, Israeli legislative election, 2009, Israeli legislative election, 2015, and coalition formations after elections in 2013 and 2020. The party has competed against and formed alliances with entities like Labor, Yesh Atid, Zionist Union, and United Arab List (Ra'am). Electoral dynamics have featured electoral thresholds set by the Basic Laws of Israel and campaign battles involving media institutions such as Israel Broadcasting Authority and outlets like Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, and Yedioth Ahronoth.
Policies and Government Participation
In government, Likud has implemented policies on security and territorial control that involved coordination with the Israel Defense Forces, strategic doctrine debates referencing the Yom Kippur War, and legal frameworks including interactions with the Supreme Court of Israel and proposals concerning the Basic Law: The Judiciary. Economic policies have included privatization, tax reforms, and regulatory changes affecting sectors overseen by the Ministry of Finance (Israel) and the Bank of Israel. Social and religious policy decisions have entailed negotiation with religious parties such as Shas and United Torah Judaism on matters like conscription of Haredi citizens and funding for religious institutions. Foreign policy under Likud leaders engaged in accords and disputes with states such as Egypt, Jordan, United States, Russia, and newer ties manifested in the Abraham Accords with United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Controversies and Criticism
Critics have accused the party of policies that affected the prospects for a two-state resolution with the Palestine Liberation Organization and later Palestinian authorities, drawing responses from international actors including European Union institutions and human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Allegations and legal cases have involved individual leaders facing indictments in criminal proceedings conducted by the Israeli Police and the State Attorney's Office, prompting debates about immunity, accountability, and the role of the Attorney General of Israel. Domestic critiques cite tensions with civil society groups including Peace Now, labor activists, and academic bodies at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, while international criticism has addressed settlement expansion in areas like Judea and Samaria and responses to protests in locales such as Gaza City and Hebron.