Tehiya
Encyclopedia
Tehiya originally known as Banai (Hebrew: בנא"י, an acronym for Land of Israel Loyalists' Alliance (Hebrew: ברית נאמני ארץ ישראל)), then Tehiya-Bnai (Hebrew: תחייה-בנא"י), was a small right-wing political party in Israel
that existed from 1979 until 1992. In the eyes of many, Tehiya was identified with Geula Cohen
, who founded the party and headed it throughout its existence.
, when Geula Cohen
and Moshe Shamir
broke away from Likud
in response to the Camp David Treaty between Egypt
and Israel, particularly to the surrender of the Sinai peninsula
to Egypt, and the eviction of its Israeli residents.
Tehiya was strongly affiliated with the extra-parliamentary movement of Gush Emunim
, and included prominent members of Israeli settlement
s in the West Bank
and Gaza
such as Hanan Porat
(later to be a member of the Knesset
for the National Religious Party
and the National Union
) and Elyakim Haetzni
. Another founder and prominent member was the physicist
Yuval Neeman.
In its first electoral test, the 1981 elections
, Tehiya picked up three seats. Despite their previous difference of opinion, they were included in Menachem Begin's coalition government alongside Likud, the National Religious Party
, Agudat Israel
, Tami
and Telem
. Although Cohen did not take a ministerial position, Neeman became Minister of Science and Development.
In the 1984 elections
, Tehiya became the third largest party in the Knesset
after the Alignment
and Likud, albeit with only five seats. However, they were excluded from Shimon Peres
and Yitzhak Shamir
's national unity government
, which included the Alignment, Likud, the National Religious Party, Agudat Israel, Shas
, Morasha
, Shinui
and Ometz
. During the Knesset session Rafael Eitan
defected from Tehiya to found a new party, Tzomet
.
The party was reduced to three seats in the 1988 elections
, and was again left out of Shamir's national unity government. However, when the Alignment left the coalition in 1990, Tehiya were invited into a new narrow right-wing government which included Likud, the National Religious Party, Shas, Agudat Israel, Degel HaTorah
, the Party for Advancing the Zionist Idea. Although Cohen again declined a ministerial position, Neeman was appointed Minister of Energy and Infrastructure and Minister of Science and Technology. Despite its late entry to the government, the party pulled out of the coalition on 21 January 1992 in protest over Yitzhak Shamir's participation in the Madrid conference
.
In the June 1992 elections
, the party failed to cross the electoral threshold
, and subsequently disappeared. It is likely that most of its electorate went to Eitan's Tzomet
, who jumped from two seats in the 1988 elections to eight in the 1992 votes. The two parties had competed on the same secular right-wing electorate, though Tzomet had a much more pronounced secular, even anti-religious stand.
Tehiya fronted a number of controversial positions in its time, some of which were adopted by the mainstream; most notably, the Jerusalem Law
enacted on July 30, 1980 establishing Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
that existed from 1979 until 1992. In the eyes of many, Tehiya was identified with Geula Cohen
Geula Cohen
Geulah Cohen is an Israeli former Irgun and Lehi member, politician, and journalist.-Biography:Geulah Cohen was born in Tel Aviv during the British Mandate of Palestine...
, who founded the party and headed it throughout its existence.
Background
The party was formed in 1979 during the term of the ninth KnessetIsraeli legislative election, 1977
The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May 1977. For the first time in Israeli political history, the right-wing, led by Likud, won the election, ending almost 30 years of rule by the left-wing Alignment and its predecessor, Mapai...
, when Geula Cohen
Geula Cohen
Geulah Cohen is an Israeli former Irgun and Lehi member, politician, and journalist.-Biography:Geulah Cohen was born in Tel Aviv during the British Mandate of Palestine...
and Moshe Shamir
Moshe Shamir
Moshe Shamir was an Israeli author, playwright, opinion writer, and public figure.-Biography:...
broke away from Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
in response to the Camp David Treaty between Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Israel, particularly to the surrender of the Sinai peninsula
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
to Egypt, and the eviction of its Israeli residents.
Tehiya was strongly affiliated with the extra-parliamentary movement of Gush Emunim
Gush Emunim
Gush Emunim was an Israeli messianic and political movement committed to establishing Jewish settlements in the West Bank. While not formally established as an organization until 1974 in the wake of the Yom Kippur War, Gush Emunim sprang out of the conquests of the Six-Day War in 1967, encouraging...
, and included prominent members of Israeli settlement
Israeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
s in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
and Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
such as Hanan Porat
Hanan Porat
-External links:...
(later to be a member of the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
for the National Religious Party
National Religious Party
The National Religious Party ) was a political party in Israel representing the religious Zionist movement. Formed in 1956, at the time of its dissolution in 2008, it was the second oldest surviving party in the country after Agudat Yisrael, and was part of every government coalition until 1992...
and the National Union
National Union (Israel)
The National Union is an alliance of nationalist political parties in Israel. In the 2009 elections the National Union consisted of four parties: Moledet, Hatikva, Eretz Yisrael Shelanu, and Tkuma.-Background:...
) and Elyakim Haetzni
Elyakim Haetzni
Elyakim Haetzni is an Israeli lawyer, settlement activist and former politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Tehiya from 1990 until 1992.-Biography:...
. Another founder and prominent member was the physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
Yuval Neeman.
In its first electoral test, the 1981 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1981
Elections for the tenth Knesset were held in Israel on 30 June 1981. Despite last minute polls suggesting a victory for Shimon Peres's Alignment, Menachem Begin's Likud won by just one seat...
, Tehiya picked up three seats. Despite their previous difference of opinion, they were included in Menachem Begin's coalition government alongside Likud, the National Religious Party
National Religious Party
The National Religious Party ) was a political party in Israel representing the religious Zionist movement. Formed in 1956, at the time of its dissolution in 2008, it was the second oldest surviving party in the country after Agudat Yisrael, and was part of every government coalition until 1992...
, Agudat Israel
Agudat Israel
Agudat Yisrael began as the original political party representing the ultra-Orthodox population of Israel. It was the umbrella party for almost all ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel, and before that in the British Mandate of Palestine...
, Tami
Tami
Tami was a Mizrahi-dominated political party in Israel during the 1980s. It was led by Aharon Abuhatzira for its entire existence.-Background:...
and Telem
Telem (political party)
Telem , lit. Movement for National Renewal) was a political party in Israel.-Background:Telem was formed on 19 May 1981 during the ninth Knesset by Moshe Dayan and two ex-Likud MKs. Dayan had been elected to the Knesset as an MK for the Alignment, which had lost the election for the first time in...
. Although Cohen did not take a ministerial position, Neeman became Minister of Science and Development.
In the 1984 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1984
Elections for the eleventh Knesset were held in Israel on 23 July 1984. Voter turnout was 78.8%. The results saw the Alignment return to being the largest party in the Knesset, a status it had lost in 1977...
, Tehiya became the third largest party in the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
after the Alignment
Alignment (political party)
The Alignment was an alliance of the major left-wing parties in Israel between the 1960s and 1990s. It was established in 1965 as an alliance of Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda but was dissolved three years later when the two parties and Rafi formally merged into the Israeli Labor Party...
and Likud, albeit with only five seats. However, they were excluded from Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
and Yitzhak Shamir
Yitzhak Shamir
' is a former Israeli politician, the seventh Prime Minister of Israel, in 1983–84 and 1986–92.-Biography:Icchak Jeziernicky was born in Ruzhany , Russian Empire . He studied at a Hebrew High School in Białystok, Poland. As a youth he joined Betar, the Revisionist Zionist youth movement...
's national unity government
National unity government
A national unity government, government of national unity, or national union government is a broad coalition government consisting of all parties in the legislature, usually formed during a time of war or other national emergency.- Canada :During World War I the Conservative government of Sir...
, which included the Alignment, Likud, the National Religious Party, Agudat Israel, Shas
Shas
Shas is an ultra-orthodox religious political party in Israel, primarily representing Sephardic and Mizrahi Haredi Judaism.Shas was founded in 1984 by dissident members of the Ashkenazi dominated Agudat Israel, to represent the interests of religiously observant Sephardic and Mizrahi ...
, Morasha
Morasha
Morasha , later known as Morasha-Poalei Agudat Yisrael was a small, short-lived religious political party in Israel during the 1980s.-Background:...
, Shinui
Shinui
Shinui is a Zionist, secular and anti-clerical free market liberal party and political movement in Israel. The party twice became the third largest in the Knesset, but both occasions were followed by a split and collapse; in 1977 the party won 15 seats as part of the Democratic Movement for...
and Ometz
Ometz (political party)
Ometz , originally Rafi – National List , then the National List was a small right-wing political party in Israel, which existed briefly in 1981, and then from 1983 until 1987...
. During the Knesset session Rafael Eitan
Rafael Eitan
Rafael "Raful" Eitan was an Israeli general, former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces and later a politician, a Knesset member government minister...
defected from Tehiya to found a new party, Tzomet
Tzomet
Tzomet is a small secular, right-wing political party in Israel.-Ideology:The party was the one who first brought the "peace for peace" slogan, which today is used by all Israeli right wing parties and movements...
.
The party was reduced to three seats in the 1988 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1988
Elections for the twelfth Knesset were held in Israel on 1 November 1988. Voter turnout was 79.7%.-Results:1 Five members of the Likud left to form the Party for the Advancement of the Zionist Idea; after two returned, the party was renamed the New Liberal Party...
, and was again left out of Shamir's national unity government. However, when the Alignment left the coalition in 1990, Tehiya were invited into a new narrow right-wing government which included Likud, the National Religious Party, Shas, Agudat Israel, Degel HaTorah
Degel HaTorah
Degel HaTorah is an Ashkenazi Haredi political party in Israel. For much of its existence it has been allied to Agudat Yisrael under the name United Torah Judaism.-Ideology:...
, the Party for Advancing the Zionist Idea. Although Cohen again declined a ministerial position, Neeman was appointed Minister of Energy and Infrastructure and Minister of Science and Technology. Despite its late entry to the government, the party pulled out of the coalition on 21 January 1992 in protest over Yitzhak Shamir's participation in the Madrid conference
Madrid Conference of 1991
The Madrid Conference was hosted by the government of Spain and co-sponsored by the USA and the USSR. It convened on October 30, 1991 and lasted for three days. It was an early attempt by the international community to start a peace process through negotiations involving Israel and the Palestinians...
.
In the June 1992 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1992
Elections for the thirteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 23 June 1992. The result was a victory for the left, led by Yitzhak Rabin's Labor Party, though their win was at least partially due to several small right-wing parties narrowly failing to cross the electoral threshold and thus effectively...
, the party failed to cross the electoral threshold
Election threshold
In party-list proportional representation systems, an election threshold is a clause that stipulates that a party must receive a minimum percentage of votes, either nationally or within a particular district, to obtain any seats in the parliament...
, and subsequently disappeared. It is likely that most of its electorate went to Eitan's Tzomet
Tzomet
Tzomet is a small secular, right-wing political party in Israel.-Ideology:The party was the one who first brought the "peace for peace" slogan, which today is used by all Israeli right wing parties and movements...
, who jumped from two seats in the 1988 elections to eight in the 1992 votes. The two parties had competed on the same secular right-wing electorate, though Tzomet had a much more pronounced secular, even anti-religious stand.
Tehiya fronted a number of controversial positions in its time, some of which were adopted by the mainstream; most notably, the Jerusalem Law
Jerusalem Law
The Jerusalem Law is a common name of Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel passed by the Knesset on July 30, 1980 .It began as a private member's bill proposed by Geula Cohen, whose original text stated that "the integrity and unity of greater Jerusalem in its boundaries after the Six-Day War...
enacted on July 30, 1980 establishing Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel.
Knesset Members
| Knesset (MKs) |
Knesset Members |
|---|---|
| 9th Israeli legislative election, 1977 The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May 1977. For the first time in Israeli political history, the right-wing, led by Likud, won the election, ending almost 30 years of rule by the left-wing Alignment and its predecessor, Mapai... (2) |
Geula Cohen Geula Cohen Geulah Cohen is an Israeli former Irgun and Lehi member, politician, and journalist.-Biography:Geulah Cohen was born in Tel Aviv during the British Mandate of Palestine... , Moshe Shamir Moshe Shamir Moshe Shamir was an Israeli author, playwright, opinion writer, and public figure.-Biography:... |
| 10th Israeli legislative election, 1981 Elections for the tenth Knesset were held in Israel on 30 June 1981. Despite last minute polls suggesting a victory for Shimon Peres's Alignment, Menachem Begin's Likud won by just one seat... (3) |
Geula Cohen, Yuval Neeman, Hanan Porat Hanan Porat -External links:... (replaced by Zvi Shiloah Zvi Shiloah Zvi Shiloah was an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Tehiya in 1984.-Biography:Born Zvi Langsam in Boryslav, Austria-Hungary , Shiloah was educated in a local gymnasium. During his youth he was a member of the Gordonia movement... ) |
| 11th Israeli legislative election, 1984 Elections for the eleventh Knesset were held in Israel on 23 July 1984. Voter turnout was 78.8%. The results saw the Alignment return to being the largest party in the Knesset, a status it had lost in 1977... (5 –1) |
Geula Cohen, Yuval Neeman, Gershon Shafat Gershon Shafat Gershon Shafat is an Israeli former politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Tehiya during the mid-1980s and early 1990s.-Biography:Born Gershon Staub in Vienna, Austria in 1927, Shafat made aliyah to Mandate Palestine in 1934... , Eliezer Waldman Eliezer Waldman Eliezer Waldman is an Israeli rabbi and former politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Tehiya between 1984 and 1990.-Biography:Born in Petah Tikva during the Mandate era, Waldman attended Yeshiva University and Brooklyn College... – Rafael Eitan Rafael Eitan Rafael "Raful" Eitan was an Israeli general, former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces and later a politician, a Knesset member government minister... (to Tzomet Tzomet Tzomet is a small secular, right-wing political party in Israel.-Ideology:The party was the one who first brought the "peace for peace" slogan, which today is used by all Israeli right wing parties and movements... ) |
| 12th Israeli legislative election, 1988 Elections for the twelfth Knesset were held in Israel on 1 November 1988. Voter turnout was 79.7%.-Results:1 Five members of the Likud left to form the Party for the Advancement of the Zionist Idea; after two returned, the party was renamed the New Liberal Party... (3) |
Geula Cohen, Yuval Neeman (replaced by Elyakim Haetzni Elyakim Haetzni Elyakim Haetzni is an Israeli lawyer, settlement activist and former politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Tehiya from 1990 until 1992.-Biography:... ), Eliezer Waldman (replaced by Gershon Shafat) |
External links
- Tehiya-Bnai Knesset website
- Tehiya Knesset website