1965 Israeli Legislative Election

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1965 Israeli legislative election

The elections for the sixth Knesset were held on 2 November 1965. It was a rather dreary affair, though the turnout, a respectable 85.9%, suggests the populace still bothered to show up. They were deciding the fate of all 120 seats, with the usual 61 seats being the magic number for a majority. The previous election was in 1961 , and the next would be in 1969 .

Background

Before the dust settled, the political landscape had shifted, as it tends to do. Two significant alliances emerged. The Alignment was a union of Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda . On the other side, Gahal was the product of Herut and the Liberal Party joining forces. This wasn’t exactly a harmonious merging of souls; more like a strategic necessity. Both Mapai and the Liberal Party had been weakened by their own internal schisms. The legendary David Ben-Gurion , a figure who casts a long shadow, had broken away to form Rafi . Meanwhile, the Independent Liberals , largely comprised of former Progressive Party members, also carved out their own niche.

The communist Maki had also imploded, splitting into two factions. Most of its Arab members, along with some Jewish ones, decided to form Rakah . It’s almost quaint, isn’t it, this constant fragmentation?

Amidst this, a new Mapai -affiliated Arab party, Cooperation and Brotherhood , decided to throw its hat in the ring. The Arab Socialist List, however, found itself barred from participation by the Central Elections Committee , a decision based on its supposed ties to the banned al-Ard organization. And then there was Abie Nathan , a peace activist, who entered his own party, Nes. He seemed to be running on a platform of… well, peace, I suppose. One can only assume.

Parliamentary Factions

The parties vying for seats in the sixth Knesset presented a rather diverse, if predictable, spectrum.

• Mapai : Under the leadership of Levi Eshkol , this party, rooted in Social Democracy and Labor Zionism , was a significant force. They carried the symbol א‎. In the 1961 elections, they secured a substantial 34.7% of the vote, translating to 42 seats. By the dissolution of the previous Knesset in 1964, they held 34 seats.
• Herut : Led by the formidable Menachem Begin , this party championed Revisionist Zionism . Their symbol was • ח‎. They garnered 13.8% of the vote in 1961, earning 17 seats. This number remained consistent at the dissolution of the Knesset.
• Liberal Party (later Libralit ): Representing Liberalism , this faction, with symbols • ל‎, was led by figures like Peretz Bernstein and Yosef Serlin . Their 1961 performance was strong, with 13.6% of the vote and 17 seats. However, by 1964, their representation had dwindled to 10 seats.
• National Religious Party (Mafdal): Deeply entrenched in Religious Zionism , their symbol was • ב‎, and Haim-Moshe Shapira was their leader. They achieved 9.8% in 1961, securing 12 seats, a number that held steady until the dissolution.
• Mapam : Advocating for Labor Zionism and Socialism , led by Meir Ya’ari , this party used the symbol • מ‎. They received 7.8% of the vote in 1961, winning 9 seats, and maintained that number.
• Ahdut HaAvoda : Also aligning with Labor Zionism , their symbol was • תו‎, and Yisrael Galili was a prominent leader. They secured 6.6% in 1961, earning 8 seats, which remained unchanged.
• Rafi : A faction that emerged from Mapai , advocating Social democracy , led by the ever-present David Ben-Gurion . Their symbol was • כא‎. They were a new entry, having broken away and thus holding 8 seats at the dissolution, despite not participating in the 1961 elections as a distinct entity.
• Independent Liberals : This group, focused on Liberalism and symbolized by • לע‎, was led by Pinchas Rosen . Like Rafi, they were a new force, having split from other parties, and held 7 seats at the dissolution.
• Maki : The communist party, using the symbol • ק‎ and led by Shmuel Mikunis . They obtained 4.2% in 1961, winning 5 seats, a number that remained stable.
• Agudat Yisrael : A party of Religious conservatism , symbolized by • ג‎ and led by Yitzhak-Meir Levin . They secured 3.7% in 1961, gaining 4 seats, which they held onto.
• Poalei Agudat Yisrael : Also representing Religious conservatism , with symbol • ד‎ and led by Kalman Kahana . They won 1.9% in 1961, securing 2 seats, and maintained their representation.
• Cooperation and Brotherhood : Described as an Arab satellite list , their symbol was • יא‎ and Diyab Obeid was a leader. They had 1.9% in 1961, winning 2 seats, and held their ground.
• Progress and Development : Another Arab satellite list , symbolized by • רא‎ and with Ahmed A-Dahar as a leader. They received 1.6% in 1961, also securing 2 seats.

Results

The election itself saw the Labor Alignment emerge as the largest party, though not by a landslide. They secured 36.74% of the vote, translating to 45 seats. This was a decrease of 5 seats from the previous alignment of Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda. Gahal came in second with 21.29%, taking 26 seats, a considerable loss of 8 seats. The National Religious Party (Mafdal) garnered 8.95% and 11 seats, down by 1.

A notable new entry was Rafi , led by the ever-present David Ben-Gurion , which managed to win 7.90% of the vote and 10 seats. This was, of course, a significant development, as Ben-Gurion was a foundational figure in Israeli politics. Mapam secured 6.63% and 8 seats, a loss of 1. The Independent Liberals , a new faction, managed to win 3.75% and 5 seats.

Agudat Yisrael held steady with 3.30% and 4 seats. The newly formed communist faction, Rakah , captured 2.27% and 3 seats. The Arab parties Progress and Development and Cooperation and Brotherhood each won 2 seats with 1.94% and 1.36% of the vote, respectively. HaOlam HaZeh – Koah Hadash , a more left-wing, secular list, managed to secure 1.17% and 1 seat. The remaining communist party, Maki , saw its representation shrink, winning only 1.13% and 1 seat, a loss of 4.

Other lists, such as “Movement for Brotherhood,” “Peace List,” Nes , and “Young Israel,” failed to cross the electoral threshold and win any seats. The total valid vote count was 1,206,728, with an additional 37,978 invalid or blank votes, making the overall turnout 85.86%.

Aftermath

The outcome of the election led to the formation of the thirteenth government , headed by Levi Eshkol of the Alignment , on 12 January 1966. This coalition was a broad affair, including the National Religious Party, Mapam, the Independent Liberals, Poalei Agudat Yisrael, Progress and Development, and Cooperation and Brotherhood. It boasted eighteen ministers. Kadish Luz , also from the Alignment, continued in his role as Knesset Speaker . The new Knesset convened in Jerusalem at Givat Ram in late August 1966.

The political landscape shifted dramatically with the outbreak of the Six-Day War on 5 June 1967. In response to the crisis, Gahal and Rafi joined the existing coalition, forming a national unity government . This expanded government now had 21 ministers. However, this period of unity was cut short by Eshkol’s death on 26 February 1969.

Following Eshkol’s passing, Golda Meir , also of the Alignment, formed the fourteenth government on 17 March 1969. This too was a national unity government, comprising Gahal, the National Religious Party, the Independent Liberals, Progress and Development, and Cooperation and Brotherhood.

The political parties themselves underwent further transformations. In 1968, Rafi, Mapai, and Ahdut HaAvoda merged to form the Labor Party . David Ben-Gurion, however, remained an independent figure. By 1969, the Labor Party allied with Mapam, once again under the banner of the Alignment. This new Alignment achieved a significant milestone: 63 seats, marking the only time a single faction has held an outright majority in the Knesset. During the term of the sixth Knesset, other affiliations also shifted. Yizhar Harari departed from the Independent Liberals to join the Alignment. Four members of Knesset broke away from Gahal to establish the Free Centre . Furthermore, Progress and Development and Cooperation and Brotherhood initially merged to form Cooperation and Development , though this alliance later dissolved back into its constituent parts, the Druze Party and Jewish-Arab Brotherhood , each retaining a single seat.

References

• Haim Hillel Ben-Sasson, ed. A History of the Jewish People (Harvard University Press, 1976) p1092
• “Labor Leads Israeli Election”, Montreal Gazette, 3 November 1965, p1
• Dieter Nohlen , Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I, p124 ISBN 0-19-924958-X

External links

• Historical overview of the Sixth Knesset - Knesset website
• Election results on the Knesset website
• The Sixth Knesset on the Knesset website