Israel Political Parties: National Union (Ichud Leumi)

The National Union Party (HaIchud HaLeumi) was a right-wing coalition of a number of smaller religious-Zionist parties including Moledet, Herut, Hatikvah, and elements of the Tkuma party. In the 2006 elections, the National Union Party ran on a joint list with the National Religious Party and the coalition took nine seats in the Knesset. The National Union states that Israel should maintain control of the territories captured in 1967 and formally annex them. The party is opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank saying that it “opposes the establishment of another state in addition to the State of Israel anywhere in the Land of Israel west of Jordan.” The party also opposes any division of Jerusalem. 

The National Union supports “a free market economy with limited government intervention and initiatives” and states that “It is necessary to eliminate market borders and limit state intervention.” 

The party promotes the advancement of Israel’s Jewish identity and its manifesto declares “it is natural and clear that Israel should respect the beliefs of the Jewish people, including the Sabbath, the Jewish holidays, Kashrut (Jewish dietary laws), conversion according to Halacha (Jewish law), marriage and divorce.”

Source: The Israel Project.

Photo: Wikimedia.