Workers' Party of the Land of Israel מפלגת פועלי ארץ ישראל | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | David Ben-Gurion (1930–54) Moshe Sharett (1954–55) David Ben-Gurion (1955–63) Levi Eshkol (1963–68) |
| Founders | David Ben-Gurion Yosef Sprinzak |
| Founded | 5 January 1930 (1930-01-05) |
| Dissolved | 23 January 1968 (1968-01-23) |
| Merger of | Ahdut HaAvoda Hapoel Hatzair |
| Merged into | Israeli Labor Party |
| Headquarters | Tel Aviv,Israel |
| Newspaper | Davar |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Centre-left[4] toleft-wing[5] |
| National affiliation | Alignment (1965–1968) |
| International affiliation | Socialist International |
| Regional affiliation | Asian Socialist Conference |
| Colours | Red |
| Most MKs | 47 (1959) |
| Election symbol | |
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Mapai (Hebrew:מַפָּא"י, anabbreviation forמִפְלֶגֶת פּוֹעֲלֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל,Mifleget Poalei Eretz Yisrael,lit. 'Workers' Party of theLand of Israel') was aLabor Zionist anddemocratic socialistpolitical party inIsrael, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into theIsraeli Labor Party in January 1968. During Mapai's time in office, a wide range of progressive reforms were carried out,[6][7] as characterised by the establishment of a welfare state[8] and new rights in the workplace.[9]
The party was founded on 5 January 1930 by the merger of theHapoel Hatzair founded byA. D. Gordon and the originalAhdut HaAvoda (founded in 1919 from the right, more moderate, wing of theZionistsocialistPoale Zion led byDavid Ben-Gurion). In the early 1920s, theLabor Zionist movement had founded theHistadrut Union, which dominated the Hebrew settlement economy and infrastructure, later making Mapai the dominant political faction in Zionist politics. It was also responsible for the founding ofHashomer andHaganah, the first two armed Jewish groups which secured the people and property of the new and emerging Jewish communities. By the early 1930s, Ben-Gurion had taken over the party, and had become de facto leader of the Jewish community in Palestine (known as theYishuv). It was a member of theLabour and Socialist International between 1930 and 1940.[10]
The party was Jewish-only until the late 1960s, with a succession ofsatellite parties for Israeli Arabs, including theDemocratic List of Nazareth, theDemocratic List for Israeli Arabs,Agriculture and Development,Progress and Work,Cooperation and Brotherhood,Progress and Development andCooperation and Development. It supported the policy of subjecting Arab citizens to martial law, which included confining them to the towns of their residence, and allowing them to exit only with a permit granted by the Israeli authorities.[11]
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Due to its role in emerging victorious and independent from the1948 Arab–Israeli War, the party won large support in Israel'sfirst elections in 1949, receiving 36% of the vote (well ahead of second-placedMapam's 15%) and winning 46 of the 120 seats. Ben-Gurion becamePrime Minister and formed a coalition with theUnited Religious Front, theProgressive Party, theSephardim and Oriental Communities and theDemocratic List of Nazareth (anIsraeli Arab party associated with Mapai). A notable piece of legislation enacted during Mapai's first term in office was an educational law in 1949 which introduced compulsory schooling for all children between the ages of 5 and 14.[12] Mapai's years in office also witnessed the passage of the National Insurance Act of 1953 and the Social Welfare Service Law of 1958, which authorised a broad range of social welfare programmes, including special allowances for large families, workers' compensation provisions, maternity insurance, and old age and survivors' pensions.[13]
In thesecond elections in 1951 Mapai increased its vote share to 37% (and 47 seats) despite the country'seconomic problems. Ben-Gurion again formed the government with the support ofMizrachi,Hapoel HaMizrachi,Agudat Yisrael,Poalei Agudat Yisrael and the three Israeli Arab parties associated with Mapai, theDemocratic List for Israeli Arabs,Progress and Work andAgriculture and Development. However, he shocked the nation by resigning on 6 December 1953 in order to settle in the smallNegevkibbutz ofSde Boker, and was replaced byMoshe Sharett.
The1955 elections saw a drop in the party's support to 32% (and 40 seats), though still well ahead of the second-placedHerut (13%). Ben Gurion returned as Prime Minister, and formed a coalition with the National Religious Front (which later changed its name to theNational Religious Party),Mapam,Ahdut HaAvoda, and the three Israeli Arab parties, the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs, Progress and Work and Agriculture and Development. Later the Progressive Party was also added.
In contrast to the previous one, the1959 election saw a surge in support, as the party recorded its best electoral performance, taking 38% of the vote and 47 seats. Ben-Gurion again invited the National Religious Party, Mapam, Ahdut HaAvoda, the Progressive Party and the three Israeli Arab parties, Progress and Development, Cooperation and Brotherhood and Agriculture and Development to form the coalition.
The inquiry into theLavon Affair which brought down the government in 1961 probably contributed to the party's relatively poor performance in theelections in the same year, as it picked up only 35% of the vote and 42 seats. Although Ben-Gurion formed a strong coalition with the National Religious Party, Ahdut HaAvoda, Agudat Yisrael Workers,Cooperation and Brotherhood and Progress and Development, two events during the fifth Knesset led to Mapai's reducing dominance.
Firstly, Ben-Gurion resigned as head of the party citing personal reasons, though in reality he was upset at a perceived lack of support from colleagues. He set up a new party,Rafi, taking with him seven other Mapai members. Secondly, the two major right-wing opposition parties,Herut and theLiberal Party had merged intoGahal. This meant by the end of the Knesset session, Mapai had only 34 seats to Gahal's 27.
The party's response to the unprecedented strength of the opposition was to seek support from other parties with similar ideologies. The result was an alliance with Ahdut HaAvoda to form theLabor Alignment before the1965 election. The new party received 37% of the vote and won 45 seats, and comfortably beat Gahal (26 seats). On 23 January 1968 Mapai, Ahdut HaAvoda and Rafi merged into theIsraeli Labor Party and ceased to exist as individual entities.
Until 1963, the party had no formal rules to govern the selection of its leader. From the party's establishment, David Ben-Gurion was long the unchallenged leader of the party. Even in his brief 1954–1955 retirement (during whichMoshe Sharett served as the official party leader), Ben-Gurion was still largely considered thede facto party boss. After Ben-Gurion retired again in 1963, informal consultations by the party's leading figures resulted in an informal consensus to appointLevi Eshkol as leader, and this choice was ratified by the party's Central Committee. Soon after becoming party leader, Eshkol successfully pushed the party to amend its constitution to state that the party's candidate for the office of prime minister (its leader) would be selected by the party's Central Committee. Thus, when Ben-Gurion unsuccessfully attempted to retake party leadership in 1965, there wasa formal leadership election held by a vote of the party's Central Committee.[14]
| Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | 21,497 (#1) | 43.5 | 27 / 71 | New | David Ben-Gurion |
| 1944 | 73,367 (#1) | 36.5 | 64 / 171 |  37 | |
| 1949 | 155,274 (#1) | 35.7 | 46 / 120 |  18 | |
| 1951 | 256,456 (#1) | 37.3 | 45 / 120 | 1 | |
| 1955 | 274,735 (#1) | 32.2 | 40 / 120 | 5 | |
| 1959 | 370,585 (#1) | 38.2 | 47 / 120 | 7 | |
| 1961 | 349,330 (#1) | 34.7 | 42 / 120 | 5 | |
| 1965 | Part of theLabor Alignment | 37 / 120 | 5 | Levi Eshkol | |
[...] Mapai, the democratic socialist party of David Ben Gurion.
Israel's two main left-wing parties, Mapai and Ahdut HaAvodah.
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