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Political parties operating in Israel, connected through the PoliticaHub knowledge graph.
Israel's dominant right-wing party, founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin, and the governing party under Benjamin Netanyahu. Likud combines economic liberalism, hawkish security policy, territorial nationalism regarding the West Bank and Jerusalem, and a strong Mizrahi voter base. It has led Israeli governments for most of the period since 1977 and remains the largest single party in the Knesset.
Israeli centrist-nationalist party led by former military chief Benny Gantz. National Unity was formed from the merger of Gantz's Blue and White with other centrist lists. Gantz joined Netanyahu's emergency war cabinet after October 7, 2023 but resigned in June 2024 citing disagreements over post-war Gaza strategy. The party represents a security-focused centrist bloc appealing to retired military officers and pragmatic center-right voters.
Far-right Jewish nationalist party led by Itamar Ben-Gvir, which entered the governing coalition in December 2022. Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) holds positions widely regarded as ultranationalist, including calls to expel Arab citizens deemed disloyal and to annex the West Bank. Its inclusion in government has been one of the most controversial aspects of the Netanyahu coalition.
Israeli ultranationalist religious party led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and a key partner in the Netanyahu coalition. Religious Zionism combines Orthodox Jewish nationalism with settler movement ideology, advocating Jewish sovereignty throughout the Land of Israel including the West Bank. The party holds the Finance Ministry and has used budget mechanisms to advance settlement policy.
Centrist Israeli party founded in 2012 by television journalist Yair Lapid. Yesh Atid became the second-largest Knesset party in 2022 and the principal opposition force to Netanyahu. It advocates secular Israeli identity, middle-class economic concerns, and a two-state solution, positioning itself between the right-wing bloc and the left-wing parties.
