Prepared for the
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
in association with the Fairness Project
by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
 
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DAILY ALERT

January 28, 2003

To contact the Presidents Conference:
info@prescon.org

In-Depth Issue:

How Knesset Seats are Decided

    The electoral threshold for a party to enter the Knesset is 1.5% of the national vote, estimated at 51,000.
    Once a party secures its 1.5%, each Knesset seat is equal to 1/120th of the national vote, or approximately 27,000 votes.
    Israel's voter turnout averages approximately 75% of eligible voters.

 

What Next?
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

    Election results will be published in the official gazette on Feb. 5, 2003, eight days after the elections.
    The first session of the new Knesset will be held on Feb. 17, 2003.

 

What It Means
- Yossi Verter (Ha'aretz)

    This is the first time since 1981 that a prime minister who called for early elections will actually win them.
    This is also the first time in 20 years that a prime minister will be elected twice in a row to lead Israel.
    Since 1984, Likud and Labor have been passing the prime minister's seat back and forth every election campaign.

 

56 Female Candidates Up for Election in Israel - Peroshni Govender (Women's News)

    Of the 17 women currently in government, six representatives are in the Labor party. Meretz follows with four. Likud has three, and Hadash, Shinui, Center, and Yisrael b'Aliyah each have one woman Knesset member.

 

Useful Reference:

The New Members of the Knesset
    The party lists. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

 

Key Links

Media Contact Information
 

Back Issues
 

   Israeli Election Update

According to exit polls announced by Israel TV Channel 1 for elections to the 16th Knesset, the leading parties are Likud - 36 seats, Labor - 18, and Shinui - 14. The Center-Right camp parties will receive 47 seats, the Center-Left Camp 23, the religious parties 23, other centrist parties 17, and Arab parties 10.

According to exit polls announced by Israel TV Channel 2, the results are Likud - 32 seats, Labor - 19, and Shinui - 17. The Center-Right camp parties will receive 45 seats, the Center-Left Camp 26, the religious parties 19, other centrist parties 20, and Arab parties 10.

 

Party Ideology Leader Seats 1999 Seats 2003 (Projected)
TV1/TV2
Center-Right Camp: 47*
Likud Will talk peace with Palestinians only after a cessation of violence Ariel Sharon 19 38* +19
National Union No Palestinian state Avigdor Lieberman 7 7*
Yisrael b'Aliyah Palestinian state only if democratic Natan Sharansky 6 2* -4
Center-Left Camp: 25*
Labor Resume talks on Palestinian statehood before end to violence Amram Mitzna 26 19* -7
Meretz Withdrawal to 1967 borders Yossi Sarid 10 6* -4
Religious Parties: 22*
Shas Ultra-Orthodox and traditional Sephardim Eli Yishai 17 11* -6
United Torah Judaism Ultra-Orthodox Ashkenazim Yaakov Litzman 5 5*
National Religious Party Religious Zionism, emphasizing army service and the Land of Israel Effi Eitam 5 6* +1
Other Centrist Parties: 18*
Shinui Separation of religion and state Yosef Lapid 6 15* +9
Am Ehad - One Nation Workers' rights Amir Peretz 2 3* +1
Arab Parties: 8* -2
United Arab List Dominated by Islamic movement, supports Palestinian state Abdulmalek Dehamshe 5 2* -3
Hadash/Ta'al Formerly Communist party, supports Palestinian state Mohammad Barakeh 4 3*  -1
Balad Cultural autonomy for Arabs, supports Palestinian state Azmi Bishara 1 3* +2

Election Commentary: * With ALLf ballots counted  FINAL

 

  • Democracy Shines in Israeli Elections - Meir Shlomo
    The elections embody all that Israel stands for - an active participation in the democratic process, transparency in political affairs, equality of its citizens, and freedom of speech. These elections illustrate Israel's will to continue to thrive as a democracy, even in the face of such haunting terror. (Boston Globe)
  • "Only Sharon" Is Choice of Many Israelis - Laura King
    Sharon is the consummate survivor. Asked about the times when he was written off as a spent force in Israel's political life, he replied, "They buried me too soon, or maybe not deep enough!" Heading into Tuesday's parliamentary elections, he has marshaled the solid support of the electorate, including many people who never thought they would cast a ballot for him. The prevailing sentiment is that without him, things would have been worse. (Los Angeles Times)
  • Sharon Looks for Big Win to Force Unity Government - Gil Hoffman
    Labor Party chairman Amram Mitzna is expected to refuse his critics' calls to quit the Labor chairmanship and unequivocally rule out bringing Labor into the coalition. Without support from Labor, Sharon intends to form a narrow government at first, and then hope Labor will join the coalition later on, when the Iraq war is under way. Sharon's advisers said the prime minister intends to shun his natural allies, Shas and the National Union, and turn first to Labor and Shinui.
        Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert, talking on Sharon's behalf, reportedly told Shinui leader Yosef (Tommy) Lapid that if Shinui receives the double-digit mandates predicted for the party, it will have a new responsibility as a large party to enter the government and impact its policies. Lapid is said to be interested in the Justice portfolio. (Jerusalem Post)
  • Populist Lapid Predicts a Place in Government with Labor - Donald Macintyre
    The leader of Israel's Shinui Party, Tommy Lapid, predicted Monday that Labor would renege on its promise to stay out of a coalition with the ruling party, Likud, after Tuesday's elections, which would pave the way for him to assume a ministerial role in the coalition. (Independent-UK)
    • Final Knesset Election Results:
     
    Party
    Seats
    Percentage
    Likud
    38
    31.7
    Labor-Meimad
    19
    15.8
    Shinui
    15
    12.5
    Shas
    11
    9.2
    National Unity
    7
    5.9
    Meretz
    6
    5
    NRP
    6
    5
    Torah Judaism
    5
    4.1
    Am Ehad
    3
    2.5
    Hadash
    3
    2.5
    Balad
    3
    2.5
    Yisrael Ba'aliya
    2
    1.7
    Ra'am
    2
    1.7
    Others
    -
    0.2

     

     

    Read excerpts from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's victory address

    The Day After: Learn about the Government building process

     

    Facts about the 16th Knesset: (these facts have partly changed by the final results)

    The 16th Knesset will look a lot like the previous Knesset - Ashkenazi, male, secular.

    Women - There were 17 women in the 15th Knesset. The number of women will increase by 2-3 in the 16th Knesset.

    Ethnicity - The 16th Knesset continues to have an Ashkenazi majority. The decrease in the number of Shas MKs is balanced by the increasing number of Mizrahis elected on the Likud list (at least 12). It is likely that Mizrahis will keep their former representation (39 Mizrahi MKs in the 15th Knesset), but it is doubtful that they will pass the 40+ mark. Mizrachi MKs only make for 1/3 of the total number of MKs.

    Sons of (and daughters of...) - There were 11 "sons and daughters of" MKs in the 15th Knesset. In the 16th Knesset, this number will probably be brought down to 10. Yael Dayan, Dalia Rabin and Dan Meridor are leaving the parliament, while Yitzhak Herzog and Omri Sharon are joining the circle of elected representatives.

    Lawyers - There will be a significant rise in the number of MKs with legal education in the 16th Knesset. Law was also the leading profession in the 15th Knesset with 22 MKs with legal eductional background. Note: Shinui itself, placed 10 lawyers in the first 15 slots of its list.