Conservatism in Israel is mostly based around upholdingJewish tradition, promotion of forms ofZionism that tend to be moreirredentist in nature (i.e.Revisionist andNeo-Zionism, which promote the idea ofGreater Israel as compared toLiberal orLabor Zionism, which are supportive of atwo-state solution), promoting Israelinational security, maintainingthe role of religion and the Rabbinate in the public sphere, support for thefree market, andcloser ties with the United States.[1] However, a variety of ideological trends exist within Israeli conservatism, and not all hold up every single one of these ideals or points of view.
Conservatism has been a major philosophy in Jewish society in the region going back to theSadducees during theSecond Temple period. The Sadducees werearistocrats during theHasmonean dynasty who were sympathetic toHellenization andHellenized Judaism and sought to promote the interests of thepriestly Kohen class, including theHigh Priest, orKohen Gadol.[2][3]
Revisionist Zionism was born as an ideology calling for the entireMandate for Palestine, calling for Israeli sovereignty over "both banks of theJordan." However, they eventually changed their position to "the whole land of Israel."[4] Nonetheless, the ideological forefather for Revisionist Zionism,Ze'ev Jabotinsky, called for equal rights forArabs who would live in a potentialJewish state, albeit with hostility towards otherArab states, in his essayThe Iron Wall.[5] For the most part, Revisionist Zionism initially lacked any clear ideology, with some variants calling for abi-nationalliberal but nominallymajority Jewish state, while other variants were outright fascist, sympathetic toMussolini's Italy.[6]
During theMandate period, the early foundations of conservatism were being built by political parties likeHatzohar andAgudat Yisrael, as well as by the paramilitary groupIrgun. Hatzohar, which was founded by Ze'ev Jabotinsky in 1923, called for the immediate establishment of the State of Israel "on both sides of the Jordan".[7][8] Jabotinsky himself was a supporter ofWestern-styleliberal conservatism andnational liberalism, synthesizing them into his personal understanding of Revisionism.[9] In 1925, Jabotinsky foundedBetar as theyouth wing of the party. However, Betar would gain influence beyond the party, becoming a major Jewish youth group in its own right, surviving long after Hatzohar itself was dissolved. After Jabotinsky's death in 1940, Irgun leaderMenachem Begin took over Hatzohar, using it effectively as the political arm of his organization.[10]
In Israel's early history as an independent state, Revisionist Zionism was not nearly as powerful of a political force associalism andLabor Zionism.Herut, a party founded by former members of theIrgun, mostly remained as an opposition party throughout the 1940s through 1960s. It eventually formed a coalition,Gahal, with theIsraeli Liberal Party, which would eventually become Likud in 1973.[11] Revisionist Zionism has historically been the ideology associated with theLikud party, especially under Begin's leadership.[12]
MostHaredi Jews in Israel are generallyreligiously conservative, with some expressingright-wing Zionist perspectives while others takenon-Zionist or evenanti-Zionist perspectives.
Agudat Yisrael, a religiously conservative andHasidic party in Israel, takes a more pragmatic stance towards Israel. It does not associate any particular religious meaning, negative or positive, to the State of Israel,[13] and thus while not anti-Zionist, cannot be considered fully Zionist either. This position is referred toDa'at Torah (literally "the opinion of the Torah"), which sees theTorah as supreme above all political decisions, more so than any version ofnationalism oranti-nationalism.[14]
Religious Zionists also adhere to Jewish religious conservatism. For example,RabbiZvi Yehuda Kook'sGush Emunim movement sought to buildsettlements in theWest Bank after theSix-Day War.[15] Someextremereligious nationalists, such asBezalel Smotrich and hisNational Religious Party-Religious Zionism remain a part of theIsraeli right to this day.[16] Some conservative religious Zionists are more moderate, however.Shas is a political party representing mostlySephardic andMizrahi Jews in Israel who follow theSephardic law and customs towards being a religious Jew. While both Zionist and religiously conservative, Shas has historically been more interested in representingSephardic Haredi interests rather than promoting settlements or upholding a particular view of the conflict.[17]
There are alsoultraconservative factions of Israeli society which areanti-Zionist.Neturei Karta is aHaredi anti-Zionist and ultraconservative group which split off from Agudat Yisrael due to its leniency towardsZionism.[18] However, Neturei Karta are seen as extreme by most Jews, including fellow Haredi anti-Zionists. A more mainstream Haredi anti-Zionist group would be theSatmar Hasidic dynasty. Nonetheless, the basis of both of these groups is theThree Oaths, which mandates divine punishment to any Jews attempting to rebuild aJewish state orhomeland. Both Satmar and Neturei Karta agree thatthe Holocaust was divine punishment from God for Zionism, somethingall other religious Jewish groups reject.[19]
"Neo-Zionism" is a term often used to refer to a more generic form of Israeliright-wing nationalism, combining aspects of both Religious and Revisionist Zionism. Most notably, Neo-Zionism is notable for its relations with otherilliberal and right-wing populist movements globally, it's criticism of Labor Zionism specifically andpro-peace Zionists more broadly, especially those that promote atwo-state solution to the conflict, support for a strongsecurity policy based onAmerican neoconservative ideas, and supports the goal of building a "Greater Israel" in the West Bank (which they callJudea and Samaria) and Gaza.[20] One of the most notable neo-Zionist groups isIm Tirtzu, which campaigns againstleft-wing,liberal, andpost-Zionist academics inIsraeli universities and colleges.[20] Many have also referred toBenjamin Netanyahu's leadership over Likud to be neo-Zionist in nature.[21]
Conservatism in Israel is not limited toIsraeli Jews, as there are manyIsraeli Arabs who are conservative as well.Mansour Abbas split from the Arab,secular, and mostly left-wingJoint List coalition over his advocacy forconversion therapy. Abbas' political party, theUnited Arab List, or Ra'am, is asocially conservative andmoderateIslamist party focusing onanti-LGBT policies,law and order, and supporting a two-state solution.[22] Ra'am mostly gains support fromBedouin Arabs living in the Negev.[23]
Conservatism in Israel has received criticism from both Zionists and anti-Zionists alike, especially over issues such as supporting the influence of theIsraeli Chief Rabbinate on public life, opposition toLGBT rights,Israeli housing issues,judicial reform, and their opposition toa peaceful settlement to theIsraeli-Palestinian conflict based upon atwo-state solution orPalestinian self-determination.
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