New Right (Israel)
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| New Right (Israel) | |
|---|---|
.png) HaYamin HeHadash · Public domain · source | |
| Name | New Right |
| Native name | הימין החדש |
| Leader | Naftali Bennett; Ayelet Shaked |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Dissolved | 2023 |
| Position | Right-wing to right-wing populist |
| Seats1 title | Knesset |
| Country | Israel |
New Right (Israel) is a former Israeli political party formed in 2018 by Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked after splits from The Jewish Home and Bayit Yehudi and realignments within the Likud camp. The party sought to combine religious Zionist and secular nationalist constituencies, positioning itself among factions like Yamina and competing with parties such as Jewish Home, Yisrael Beiteinu, and Blue and White for representation in the Knesset.
Background and Formation
Bennett, a former Shas-aligned political adviser and entrepreneur associated with Tekoa and business ventures, and Shaked, who rose via Habayit Hayehudi institutions and advocacy networks, announced the new party amid tensions involving Benjamin Netanyahu, Avigdor Lieberman, and coalition negotiations after the 2015 and 2019 elections. The split followed prior collaboration with The Jewish Home leadership and coordination with activists linked to Ariel, Yesh Atid, and technology circles in Be’er Sheva and Jerusalem. Early organization drew on staff from Israel Defense Forces veterans, policy teams including former members of Yesha Council, and advisors with ties to United States think tanks and Israeli NGOs.
Ideology and Political Positions
The party articulated a platform blending positions associated with Religious Zionism, Zionism, and neoliberal economic policy debates observable in discourses involving Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked themselves. It emphasized territorial security in contexts like the West Bank and rejected initiatives akin to the Two-state solution debates, aligning more with stances linked to Gush Emunim activists and policy proposals similar to those from Likud hardliners. On social policy, the party navigated tensions between secular constituencies represented by figures from Tel Aviv civic movements and religious constituencies with ties to Rabbinate authorities and Religious Zionist Party operatives. Economic positions reflected neoliberal reforms championed in lists associated with Yesh Atid critics and pro-business advocates connected to Hi-Tech sector founders.
Leadership and Organizational Structure
Leadership centered on Bennett and Shaked, both of whom had prior ministerial experience in cabinets led by Benjamin Netanyahu and cooperated with coalition partners such as Yisrael Beiteinu under Avigdor Lieberman and centrist blocs like Kulanu. Organizationally, the party maintained candidate selection processes influenced by activists from Yesha Council, legal advisers with backgrounds in the Supreme Court of Israel litigation, and campaign strategists who had worked with Likud and Blue and White election teams. Regional networks connected offices in Haifa, Beersheba, and Raanana, while outreach targeted diasporic engagement through links to World Zionist Organization and advocacy groups in United States Jewish federations.
Electoral Performance and Political Alliances
New Right ran for the Knesset in multiple election cycles, often forming alliances such as Yamina with the Jewish Home and The Jewish Home-aligned factions, and at times negotiating joint lists with Tkuma and other right-wing parties. The party’s electoral fortunes were shaped by vote thresholds, negotiations with Likud leadership, and competition from Religious Zionist Party, affecting seat counts in the Knesset and participation in coalitions with leaders like Benjamin Netanyahu and later with centrist coalitions that included Yesh Atid and Labor members. Key electoral moments included campaigns during the 2019–2021 sequence of elections and the post-2021 coalition realignments.
Policy Initiatives and Legislative Activity
Members advanced legislation and policy initiatives on matters involving settlement expansion debates in areas controlled by the Israeli Military Administration and planning authorities, judicial reform positions that intersected with proposals debated in the Knesset, and education measures affecting curriculum standards associated with Religious Zionism schools. Ministers from the party held portfolios that allowed interventions in immigration discussions with the Ministry of Interior and economic reforms tied to the Ministry of Finance, proposing regulatory changes that echoed reforms earlier associated with Shinui-era liberalizers and contemporary Yesh Atid fiscal debates.
Public Reception and Controversies
Public reception ranged from praise among settler movement activists and technology entrepreneurs to criticism from left-wing coalitions including Meretz and civil society organizations like B’Tselem and human rights groups. Controversies involved statements by party figures that provoked responses from legal scholars linked to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, protests in locations such as Tel Aviv and Hebron, and media scrutiny from outlets including Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, and broadcast coverage on Israel Broadcasting Authority-linked platforms.
Dissolution, Legacy, and Influence on Israeli Politics
The party effectively dissolved into broader alignments after leadership shifts and coalition bargains that brought Bennett into a premiership supported by centrists including Yair Lapid and parties like Yesh Atid, altering right-wing configurations and impacting actors such as Religious Zionist Party and Likud. Its legacy includes influence on judicial reform debates, settlement policy discourse, and a model of combining secular and religious right-wing voters, leaving a mark on subsequent realignments involving actors like Ayelet Shaked, Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid, and emergent right-wing formations.