Israeli Politics for Beginners Soc 2

Israeli Politics for Beginners • Soc 2 – Monday 15: 50 -17: 00

Last year this was called…

Know your Peres from your Peretz eli Politics n to Isra introductio interactive An Tuesday 18: 00 -19: 20

Hopefully in an hour you will • Find out how the Israeli electoral system works • Learn who the main political parties are and what they stand for • Know the results of the last election and who is currently in government • Have an idea why things change so fast. Please stop and ask questions any time!

The System – The Knesset But - Only one in the last 8 Knessets completed their term.

The System – The Knesset (Though at least three parties are coalitions of other groups so it’s kind of 17) All Israeli Citizens over 18 can vote if they are in Israel The system is proportional representation and a party needs 2% of the vote to get seats (>2 seats)

The Issues • Peace process – land for peace, Oslo, Road Map, checkpoints, targetted killing, talks with Abbas, Hamas, Qassam rockets. (Iran, Lebanon) • Settlement policy (linked to peace process) + Jerusalem + Seperation Fence. DISENGAGEMENT • Economy – poverty, social welfare, schools, raising minimum wage, pensions. • Minority Rights • State and Religion – shabbat, weddings and funerals, education, military service. • The Environment • The Army (budget and conscription) • Corruption

Election Fever • Posters, flyers, banners, bumper stickers, TV adverts. T-shirted kids standing at junctions, stands on the high street. • This goes almost as much for local (mayoral) elections as national!

The Parties

½ The Parties (and leaders) • Kadima – Ehud Olmert • Labour-meimad – Ehud Barak • Shas – Eli Yishai • Likud – Binyamin Netanyahu • Israel Beitenu – Avigdor Leiberman • National Union – NRP – Benny Elon

The Rest • Gil – Rafi Eitan • United Torah Judaism – Yakov Litzman • Meretz/Yachad – Yossi Beilin • Ra’am/Ta’al – Ibrahim Tzartzut • Hadash – Mohammad Barake • Balad – Azmi Bishara

Parties 2006 Results % Seats +/- Kadima 22. 02% 29 new Labour-Meimad 15. 06% 19 -2 Shas 9. 53% 12 +1 Likud 8. 989% 12 -15 Israel Beytenu 8. 985% 11 +8 7. 14% 9 -1 National Religious 5. 92% Party 7 new Gil 4. 69% 6 +1 United Torah 3. 77% 5 -1 Judaism 3. 02% 4 +2 Meretz-Yachad 2. 74% 3 0 Ra'am-Ta'al 2. 30% 3 0 National Union Hadash Balad

• The turnout was the lowest in Israeli legislative election history, 63. 6% of eligible voters, compared to 68. 9% in 2003 and 78. 7% in 1999. The turnout of 62. 5% in 2001 prime-ministerial election is the lowest in nationwide elections.

Portfolio Minister Party Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Kadima Vice Prime Minister in the PM's Office for State Policy Haim Ramon Kadima Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni Kadima Deputy Prime Minister of Defence Ehud Barak Labour Deputy Prime Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour Eli Yishai Shas Deputy Prime Minister of Transportation Shaul Mofaz Kadima Deputy Prime Minister of Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman Yisrael Beiteinu Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Shalom Simhon Labour Minister of Communications Ariel Atias Shas

Portfolio Minister Party Minister of Construction and Housing Ze'ev Boim Kadima Minister of Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Raleb Majadele Labour Minister of Education Yuli Tamir Labour Minister of the Environment Gideon Ezra Kadima Minister of Finance Roni Bar-On Kadima Minister of Health Yaakov Ben-Yezri Gil Minister of Immigrant Absorption Yaakov Edri Minister of Negev and Galilee Development Kadima Minister of the Interior Meir Sheetrit Kadima Minister of Internal Security Avi Dichter Kadima Minister of Justice Daniel Friedmann None Minister of National Infrastructure Benjamin Ben-Eliezer Labour Minister of Pensioner Affairs Rafi Eitan Gil Minister of Tourism Yitzhak Aharonovich Yisrael Beiteinu

Portfolio Minister Party Minister of Welfare and Social Services Minister of the Diaspora, Society, and Fight Against Antisemitism Isaac Herzog Labour Minister without Portfolio (Liaison for the Civil Beit Dinim and other Torah Affairs) Yitzhak Cohen Shas Minister without Portfolio (Responsible for liaison with the Knesset) Ruhama Avraham Kadim a Minister without Portfolio Ami Ayalon Labour Minister in the Finance Ministry Meshulam Nahari Shas That’s 27 m inistries – 1 1 to Kadim non-aligned a, 7 to Labour, 4 to Shas, 2 to G il, 2 to YB 1

Time for a commercial break

Party Politics • You will each get details of a party currently in the Knesset. • In groups you need to become that party. • Using the resources available make an election campaign for your party • A poster, maybe an advert or a speech. • You have 15 minutes to prepare and 3 minutes to present! • We will have an election at the end!

Know your Peres from your Peretz Amir Peretz – Moroccan Born leader of Labour Party, defence minister, former head of trade union Shimon Peres – Polish born elder statesman of politics and the Labour party (now Kadima). Twice prime minister but never won an election. Former hawk and dove. Responsible for many weapons purchases in his early career including possible nuclear reactors