The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel.
Mapai was a Labor Zionist and democratic socialist political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the modern-day Israeli Labor Party in January 1968. During Mapai's time in office, a wide range of progressive reforms were carried out, as characterised by the establishment of a welfare state, providing minimum income, security, and free access to housing subsidies and health and social services.
Herut was the major conservative nationalist political party in Israel from 1948 until its formal merger into Likud in 1988. It was an adherent of Revisionist Zionism.
The General Zionists were a centrist Zionist movement and a political party in Israel. The General Zionists supported the leadership of Chaim Weizmann and their views were largely colored by central European culture. The party was considered to have both conservative and liberal wings, and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day Likud.
The Progressive Party was a liberal political party in Israel.
Elections for the second Knesset were held in Israel on 30 July 1951. Voter turnout was 75.1%.
Elections for the third Knesset were held in Israel on 26 July 1955. Voter turnout was 82.8%.
The Democratic List for Israeli Arabs was an Arab satellite list in Israel.
Legislative elections were held in Israel on 3 November 1959 to elect the 120 members of the fourth Knesset. Mapai remained the dominant party, gaining seven seats. Following the elections, Mapai leader David Ben-Gurion formed ninth government on 17 December 1959. His coalition included 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. The government had 16 ministers. Mapai's Kadish Luz became the Speaker of the Knesset.
Poalei Agudat Yisrael was a trade union and Jewish political party in the Second Polish Republic and a minor political party in Israel. It was also known as PAI or PAGI, its Hebrew abbreviation.
Progress and Work was an Arab satellite list in Israel.
Agriculture and Development was an Arab satellite list in Israel.
Elections for the fifth Knesset were held in Israel on 15 August 1961. Voter turnout was 81.6%.
Progress and Development was an Arab satellite list in Israel.
Cooperation and Brotherhood was an Arab satellite list in Israel.
Kalman Kahana was a long-serving Israeli politician and journalist, and a signatory of the Israeli declaration of independence. He was the brother of Yitzhak Kahan, a President of the Supreme Court of Israel.
The eighth government of Israel was formed by David Ben-Gurion on 7 January 1958, and was the second government of the third Knesset. Ben-Gurion kept the same coalition partners as during the previous government, i.e. Mapai, the National Religious Party, Mapam, Ahdut HaAvoda, the Progressive Party, the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs, Progress and Work and Agriculture and Development. The only change to the cabinet was the addition of Shlomo-Yisrael Ben-Meir as a Deputy Minister.
The tenth government of Israel was formed on 2 November 1961 following the August elections. Although David Ben-Gurion was appointed prime minister, the government was actually formed by Minister of Finance Levi Eshkol. On 7 September Ben-Gurion had told President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi that he was unable to form a government; on 14 September Ben-Zvi asked Eshkol to form a government, with Eshkol subsequently announcing that he would do so with Ben-Gurion as PM. It turned out to be the last government led by Ben-Gurion.
Mapam was a left-wing political party in Israel. It is one of the antecedents of the Meretz party and its successor, The Democrats.
Ahdut HaAvoda was the name used by a series of political parties in Israel. Ahdut HaAvoda in its first incarnation was led by David Ben-Gurion. It was first established during the period of British Mandate and later became part of the Israeli political establishment. It was one of the forerunners of the modern-day Israeli Labor Party.
