Meri (political party)
Encyclopedia
Meri was a small radical left-wing political party in Israel
. It was founded in the 1960s as HaOlam HaZeh – Koah Hadash by Uri Avnery, editor of HaOlam HaZeh
.
, editor and owner of the anti-establishment HaOlam HaZeh
news magazine, and was the first major radical party in Israel. It surprisingly passed the electoral threshold in the 1965 election
, gaining 1.2% of the vote and one seat, taken by Avnery.
The 1969 election
saw the party pick up two seats, with fellow HaOlam HaZeh journalist and owner Shalom Cohen
taking the second seat. However, disagreements between Avnery and Cohen led to the party breaking up on 4 January 1972. Cohen served the remainer of the Knesset session as an independent MK, whilst on 3 July 1973 Avnery renamed the party Meri.
However, the party failed to pass the electoral threshold in the 1973 elections
. Prior to the 1977 elections
, the party merged with Moked
, the Independent Socialist Faction
and some members of the Black Panthers
to form the Left Camp of Israel
. The new party won two seats, which were rotated between five party members, including Avnery. However, they failed to win any seats in the 1981 elections
and did not reappear in the Knesset.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. It was founded in the 1960s as HaOlam HaZeh – Koah Hadash by Uri Avnery, editor of HaOlam HaZeh
Haolam Hazeh
HaOlam HaZeh was a weekly news magazine published in Israel until 1993.The magazine was founded in 1937 under the name Tesha BaErev but was renamed HaOlam HaZeh in 1946...
.
History
The party was founded by Uri AvneryUri Avnery
Uri Avnery is an Israeli writer and founder of the Gush Shalom peace movement.A member of the Irgun as a teenager, Avnery sat in the Knesset from 1965–74 and 1979–81...
, editor and owner of the anti-establishment HaOlam HaZeh
Haolam Hazeh
HaOlam HaZeh was a weekly news magazine published in Israel until 1993.The magazine was founded in 1937 under the name Tesha BaErev but was renamed HaOlam HaZeh in 1946...
news magazine, and was the first major radical party in Israel. It surprisingly passed the electoral threshold in the 1965 election
Israeli legislative election, 1965
Elections for the sixth Knesset were held in Israel on 1 November 1965. Voter turnout was 85.9%.-Background:Prior to the elections, two major alliances were formed; Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda united to form the Alignment, whilst Herut and the Liberal Party had formed the Gahal alliance towards the end...
, gaining 1.2% of the vote and one seat, taken by Avnery.
The 1969 election
Israeli legislative election, 1969
Elections for the seventh Knesset were held in Israel on 28 October 1969. Voter turnout was 81.7%.-Results:¹ Meir Avizohar defected from the National List to the Alignment² Avner Shaki left the National Religious Party and remained a single MK...
saw the party pick up two seats, with fellow HaOlam HaZeh journalist and owner Shalom Cohen
Shalom Cohen (politician)
Shalom Cohen was an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset between 1969 and 1974.-Biography:Born in Baghdad in Iraq, Cohen's family moved to Egypt when he was six years old. He attended an English college in Alexandria, where he was one of the founders of the local Hashomer...
taking the second seat. However, disagreements between Avnery and Cohen led to the party breaking up on 4 January 1972. Cohen served the remainer of the Knesset session as an independent MK, whilst on 3 July 1973 Avnery renamed the party Meri.
However, the party failed to pass the electoral threshold in the 1973 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1973
The Elections for the eighth Knesset were held on 31 December 1973. Voter turnout was 78.6%.-Results:1 Aryeh Eliav left the Alignment and merged with Ratz to form Ya'ad - Civil Rights Movement...
. Prior to the 1977 elections
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...
, the party merged with Moked
Moked
Moked was a left-wing political party in Israel.-Background:Moked came into existence during the seventh Knesset, when Maki merged with the Blue-Red Movement, which was unrepresented....
, the Independent Socialist Faction
Independent Socialist Faction
The Independent Socialist Faction was a political party in Israel in the 1970s.-Background:The party was established on 27 January 1976, during the eighth Knesset, as the Social-Democratic Faction, when Aryeh Eliav and Marcia Freedman left Ya'ad – Civil Rights Movement. Prior to its creation,...
and some members of the Black Panthers
Israeli Black Panthers
The Black Panthers were an Israeli protest movement of second-generation Jewish immigrants from Middle Eastern countries. They were one of the first organizations in Israel with the mission of working for social justice for the Mizrahi Jews...
to form the Left Camp of Israel
Left Camp of Israel
The Left Camp of Israel was a left-wing political party in Israel. It was also known as Sheli , an acronym for Peace for Israel .-Background:...
. The new party won two seats, which were rotated between five party members, including Avnery. However, they failed to win any seats in 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...
and did not reappear in the Knesset.
External links
- Ha-olam Hazeh - Koah Hadash Knesset website
- Radical Camp of Israel (Meri) Knesset website