by
from
"Accepting Camp David: The Role of Party Factions in Israeli Policy Making"
published by
The American Academic Association for Peace in the Middle East
Volume XI, No. 2
Winter 1978-79
pp. 24
The two major core groups in the Likud party are Herut and the Liberal party. Herut is associated with a hard-line position toward "the uncompromising Arabs," and defines Israel as Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel—i.e., including the West Bank) as opposed to Medinat Yisrael (i.e., the State of Israel).
The Liberal Party opposes Labor social policy and state control of the economy.
The Former Free Center is a splinter group of Herut, which joined Likud in 1977. It is now aligned with La'am.
The Greater Israel movement is a distinct group both outside and inside Likud. Its representative on the Likud list to the Knesset is author and Knesset member Moshe Shamir, who is aligned with La'am. The movement has a dues paying membership and a newspaper.
The Single Member is a Knesset member who left the Independent Liberal Party and joined Likud prior to the 1977 elections.
Shlomzion is identified with a hard-line policy. Its leader is General Arik Sharon, a founder of Likud. A charismatic personality, he is close to the Greater Israel movement and Gush Emunim.
La'am consists of hard-liners who also advocate less state control over the economy.
Dr. Torgovnik, a member and former Chairman of the Department of Political Science at Tel Aviv University, is currently Visiting Professor at Rhode Island College and is also engaged in lecturing at universities throughout the United States. His articles on government and politics have appearedin leading academic journals.
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