From the Margins to a Continuing Governing Position: The Miracle of the Israeli Rightist Likud Elite

Abstract

It is frequently claimed that a chief miracle that characterized the politics of the pre-Israeli Zionist community and the Israeli one was the setting up of a Zionist–Socialist political elite which headed it for decades. Yet another great miracle – less discussed among scholars – is the fact that the extremist territorialist ostracized ``Revisionist camp" – the socialist's major rival – succeeded with time to become the Israeli new governing elite. It established most of the Israeli governments in the years 1977-2006. The current research shows that though the Revisionists and their successors (mostly the parties of Herut / Gahal / Likud) were considered extremely radical, from their earliest days, they understood that in order to move ahead they must show pragmatism alongside their radicalism. Thus, pragmatism was manifested on all fronts: ideology, identity, organization, recruiting of members and the character of their elite – an ``open elite". It was true before the creation of Israel and afterwards, and it has been the case since 1977. Nevertheless, when certain elements in this formula are abandoned, the party loses support, becomes damaged and banished to the ranks of the opposition. What is more, once all of those elements of success disappear, as was the case in 2006, the party collapses.