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{{original research|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox political party
{{Infobox political party
|name = Centre Party
| name = Center Party
|colorcode = {{Centre Party (Israel)/meta/color}}
| colorcode = {{party color|Center Party (Israel)}}
|native_name = מפלגת המרכז
| native_name = {{Script/Hebrew|מפלגת המרכז}}
| native_name_lang = he
|lang1 =
|lang1_name =
| logo = Merkazi-Logo.png
|lang2 =
| leader = {{Plainlist|
* [[Yitzhak Mordechai]]
|lang2_name =
* [[Dan Meridor]]
|lang3 =
* [[David Magen]]
|lang3_name =
|lang4 =
|lang4_name =
|logo =
|leader =[[Yitzhak Mordechai]]<br />[[Dan Meridor]]<br />[[David Magen]]
|chairman =
|president =
|secretary =
|spokesperson =
|leader1_title =
|leader1_name =
|leader2_title =
|leader2_name =
|leader3_title =
|leader3_name =
|founded = 23 February 1999
|dissolved = 2003
|merger =
|split = [[Likud]]-[[Gesher (political party)|Gesher]]-[[Tzomet]] and [[Israeli Labor Party|Labor]]
|merged =
|headquarters =
|newspaper =
|youth_wing =
|wing1_title =
|wing1 =
|wing2_title =
|wing2 =
|wing3_title =
|wing3 =
|membership_year =
|membership =
|ideology = Centrism
|position = [[Centrism|Center]]
|national =
|international =
|europarl =
|affiliation1_title =
|affiliation1 =
|seats1_title = Most MKs
|seats1 = 6 (1999–2001)
|seats2_title = {{nowrap|Fewest MKs}}
|seats2 = 3 (2002–2003)
|symbol = {{Hebrew|פה}}
|website = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20000520063115/http://www.hamercaz.org.il:80/|hamercaz.org.il}}
|country = Israel
}}
}}
| founded = 23 February 1999
The '''Centre Party''' ({{lang-he-n|מִפְלֶגֶת הַמֶרְכָּז}}, [[Romanization of Hebrew|translit.]] ''Mifleget HaMerkaz''), originally known as '''Israel in the Centre''', was a short-lived political party in [[Israel]]. Formed in 1999 by former [[Defense Minister of Israel|Defense Minister]] [[Yitzhak Mordechai]], the aim was to create a group of moderates to challenge both [[Binyamin Netanyahu]] on the right and opposition leader [[Ehud Barak]]'s [[Labor Party (Israel)|Labour Party]] on the left.
| dissolved = 2003
| merger =
| headquarters = Ramat Gan
| split = [[Likud]]-[[Gesher (political party)|Gesher]]-[[Tzomet]] and [[Israeli Labor Party|Labor]]
| ideology = [[Centrism]]
| position = [[Centrism|Center]]
| seats1_title = Most MKs
| seats1 = 6 (1999–2001)
| seats2_title = {{nowrap|Fewest MKs}}
| seats2 = 3 (2002–2003)
| symbol = {{Script/Hebrew|פה}}
| website = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20000520063115/http://www.hamercaz.org.il:80/|hamercaz.org.il}}
| country = Israel
}}
The '''Center Party''' ({{Script/Hebrew|מפלגת המרכז}}, [[Romanization of Hebrew|translit.]] ''Mifleget HaMerkaz''), originally known as '''Israel in the Center''', was a short-lived political party in [[Israel]]. Formed in 1999 by former [[Defense Minister of Israel|Defense Minister]] [[Yitzhak Mordechai]], the aim was to create a group of moderates to challenge [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] on the right and opposition leader [[Ehud Barak]]'s [[Israeli Labor Party|Labor Party]] on the left.

==Platform==
The Center party platform promoted new thinking about national unity, leadership credibility and strategic planning and hoped to establish new institutional rules to guide public life, including a written constitution.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=519DdhmiFbgC&pg=PA135 Israel at the Polls, 1999, eds Daniel Judah Elazar and M. Ben Mollov]</ref>


==History==
==History==
The party was established on 23 February 1999, towards the end of the [[1996 Israeli legislative election|14th Knesset's]] term, by Mordechai, [[David Magen]] and [[Dan Meridor]] from [[Likud]], [[Hagai Meirom]] and [[Nissim Zvili]] of Labour, and [[Eliezer Sandberg]] of [[Tzomet]]. However, the most significant ally Mordechai had made was General [[Amnon Lipkin-Shahak]], the just-retired army Chief-of-Staff who had been his most bitter rival for that post in 1994.


[[File:HaMerkaz_99.png|thumb|right|Ballot paper used during the [[1999 Israeli legislative election|1999 Election]]]]
It borrowed many of its themes from [[Third Way (Israel)|The Third Way]], a group that split with the Labour Party in 1994 over the latter's willingness to negotiate the return of the [[Golan Heights]] to Syria for a peace treaty. However, by 1999 The Third Way was a partner of the Likud government and had lost much of its public credit due to its small influence on Netanyahu. Mordechai, who was less hawkish than Netanyahu, wanted further progress in the [[Oslo Accords]], and clashed with the prime minister and other members of his cabinet. Though few of the new party's positions were original, it was considered impossible for Mordechai to break with the Likud in any other way, as joining the Labour Party would mean taking the passenger seat to Ehud Barak, who was far more hated by Mordechai than Netanyahu.
The party was established on 23 February 1999, towards the end of the [[1996 Israeli legislative election|14th Knesset's]] term, by Mordechai, [[David Magen]] and [[Dan Meridor]] from [[Likud]], [[Hagai Meirom]] and [[Nissim Zvili]] of Labor, and [[Eliezer Sandberg]] of [[Tzomet]]. However, the most significant ally for Mordechai was General [[Amnon Lipkin-Shahak]], the just-retired army Chief-of-Staff who had been a bitter rival for that post in 1994.


The party borrowed many of its themes from [[Third Way (Israel)|The Third Way]], a group that split with the Labor Party in 1994 over the latter's willingness to negotiate the return of the [[Golan Heights]] to Syria for a peace treaty. However, by 1999 The Third Way was a partner of the Likud government and had lost public support due to its lack of influence on Netanyahu. Mordechai wanted further progress in the [[Oslo Accords]], and clashed with the prime minister and other members of his cabinet.
The joining of Dan Meridor was one of the best events of the early days of the party. One of the Likud's younger and more professional members, Meridor had a solid record as minister of justice from 1988 until 1992, was the son of [[Irgun]] resistance member and later Knesset member [[Eliyahu Meridor]], and was a civilian counterbalance to Mordechai.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.idi.org.il/israeli-elections-and-parties/parties/center-party/|title=Center Party|website=en.idi.org.il|language=he|access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>

Bringing Dan Meridor on board was important. One of the Likud's younger members, Meridor had a solid record as minister of justice from 1988 until 1992, was the son of [[Irgun]] resistance member and later Knesset member [[Eliyahu Meridor]], and was a civilian counterbalance to Mordechai.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.idi.org.il/israeli-elections-and-parties/parties/center-party/|title=Center Party|website=en.idi.org.il|language=he|access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>


===1999 elections===
===1999 elections===
Prior to the [[1999 Israeli legislative election|1999 elections]] the party changed its name to the ''Centre Party''. Mordechai was also a candidate in the [[1999 Israeli prime ministerial election|direct election for prime minister]] but dropped out before the ballot when it became clear that Ehud Barak was rapidly rising in the polls. In elections to the Knesset itself the Centre Party took roughly 5% of the vote, enough for 6 seats.
Prior to the [[1999 Israeli legislative election|1999 elections]] the party changed its name to the ''Center Party''. Mordechai was also a candidate in the [[1999 Israeli prime ministerial election|direct election for prime minister]] but dropped out when it became clear that Ehud Barak was rising in the polls. In the Knesset elections, the Center Party won roughly 5% of the vote, enough for 6 seats.


===Joining the government===
===Joining the government===
The party joined Ehud Barak's [[One Israel]] coalition alongside [[Shas]], [[Meretz]], the [[National Religious Party]] and [[Yisrael BaAliyah]]. Mordechai became [[Transportation Minister of Israel|Minister of Transport]] and [[Deputy leaders of Israel#Deputy Prime Minister|Deputy Prime Minister]], whilst Lipkin-Shahak became [[Tourism Minister of Israel|Minister of Tourism]]. Following Shas leaving the coalition in August 2000, former mayor of [[Tel Aviv]], [[Roni Milo]], was made [[Health Minister of Israel|Minister of Health]]. However, Mordechai was brought down by a sex scandal from his years in the army, and resigned from the Knesset on 30 May 2000; Lipkin-Shahak replaced him as [[Transportation Minister of Israel|Minister of Transport]]. Following Mordechai's resignation, the party began to disintegrate.
The party joined Ehud Barak's [[One Israel]] coalition alongside [[Shas]], [[Meretz]], the [[National Religious Party]] and [[Yisrael BaAliyah]]. Mordechai became [[Transportation Minister of Israel|Minister of Transport]] and [[Deputy leaders of Israel#Deputy Prime Minister|Deputy Prime Minister]], whilst Lipkin-Shahak became [[Tourism Minister of Israel|Minister of Tourism]]. Following Shas leaving the coalition in August 2000, former mayor of [[Tel Aviv]], [[Roni Milo]], was made [[Health Minister of Israel|Minister of Health]]. Mordechai resigned in the wake of a sex scandal on 30 May 2000; Lipkin-Shahak replaced him as [[Transportation Minister of Israel|Minister of Transport]]. Milo and former Likud member [[Yehiel Lasry]] defected back to Likud, and [[Dalia Rabin-Pelossof|Rabin-Pelossof]], Lipkin, and Uri Savir formed the [[New Way (Israel)|New Way]] after Barak lost [[2001 Israeli prime ministerial election|elections for prime minister]] to [[Ariel Sharon]] in 2001. By the end of the Knesset term only Meridor and [[Nehama Ronen]] remained in the faction. The party did not run in the [[2003 Israeli legislative election|2003 elections]].

===Unravelling===
The perceived blandness of the Centre Party during the frenzied opposition campaign against Barak made it a dead duck in the Knesset, and soon its legislators began to desert, although Shahak would not resign from the cabinet, and the Centre Party was the only group that stayed the duration of the [[Twenty-eighth government of Israel|Barak government]]. Milo and former Likud member [[Yehiel Lasry]] defected back to Likud, and [[Dalia Rabin-Pelossof|Rabin-Pelossof]], Lipkin, and Uri Savir formed the [[New Way (Israel)|New Way]] after Barak lost [[2001 Israeli prime ministerial election|elections for prime minister]] to [[Ariel Sharon]] in 2001. By the end of the Knesset term only Meridor and [[Nehama Ronen]] remained in the faction and the party did not run in the [[2003 Israeli legislative election|2003 elections]].

==Significance==
When Mordechai campaigned in 1999 for prime minister, it was rightly believed that he would be the factor that would kill the chance of Netanyahu's reelection. It was not yet known whether the Center Party was simply a group of disgruntled Likud and Labour members, or were progressive ideologues of their parties. The worst problem they encountered was the ascendance of Shas, the Haredi pressure group that drew masses of Mizrahim that otherwise may have voted for Mordechai. Even at its height, the Center was only the fourth largest party in Barak's coalition, after Labour, Shas, and Meretz respectively. They also could not effectively counter Meretz's leftward slant that ultimately led to defection of more moderate allies in the coalition.


== Election results ==
When the Sharon government came to power, Lipkin and his New Way broke with the Center and tried to be a part of the opposition, but had minimal effect against the broad coalition that included Likud, Labour, Shas, and numerous other parties across the spectrum. Both Meridor and Lipkin became disillusioned with politics by the time of the 2003 elections, and neither ran. Lipkin later joined the Labour Party in an internal role.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Election
!Leader
!Votes
!%
!Seats
!+/–
!Status
|-
|[[1999 Israeli legislative election|1999]]
|[[Yitzhak Mordechai]]
|165,622
|5.0 (#8)
|{{Composition bar|6|120|{{party color|Center Party (Israel)}}}}
|{{increase}} 6
|{{yes|Government}}
|-
|[[2003 Israeli legislative election|2003]]
|[[Dan Meridor]]
|1,961
|0.06 (#21)
|{{Composition bar|0|120}}
|{{decrease}} 6
|{{no|Extraparliamentary}}
|}


== References ==
== References ==
Line 82: Line 76:


==External links==
==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20030213031533/http://www.hamercaz.org.il/ Official website]
* [https://www.knesset.gov.il/faction/eng/FactionPage_eng.asp?PG=97 Israel in the Centre] Knesset website {{en icon}}
* [https://www.knesset.gov.il/faction/eng/FactionPage_eng.asp?PG=105 Centre Party] Knesset website {{en icon}}
* [https://www.knesset.gov.il/faction/eng/FactionPage_eng.asp?PG=97 Israel in the Center] Knesset website {{in lang|en}}
* [https://www.knesset.gov.il/faction/eng/FactionPage_eng.asp?PG=105 Center Party] Knesset website {{in lang|en}}


{{Israeli political parties}}
{{Israeli political parties}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Political parties established in 1999]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1999]]
Line 94: Line 90:
[[Category:2003 disestablishments in Israel]]
[[Category:2003 disestablishments in Israel]]
[[Category:Centrist parties in Israel]]
[[Category:Centrist parties in Israel]]
[[Category:Likud breakaway groups]]

Latest revision as of 21:28, 8 June 2024

Center Party
מפלגת המרכז‎
Leader
Founded23 February 1999
Dissolved2003
Split fromLikud-Gesher-Tzomet and Labor
HeadquartersRamat Gan
IdeologyCentrism
Political positionCenter
Most MKs6 (1999–2001)
Fewest MKs3 (2002–2003)
Election symbol
פה‎
Website
hamercaz.org.il

The Center Party (מפלגת המרכז‎, translit. Mifleget HaMerkaz), originally known as Israel in the Center, was a short-lived political party in Israel. Formed in 1999 by former Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai, the aim was to create a group of moderates to challenge Benjamin Netanyahu on the right and opposition leader Ehud Barak's Labor Party on the left.

Platform

[edit]

The Center party platform promoted new thinking about national unity, leadership credibility and strategic planning and hoped to establish new institutional rules to guide public life, including a written constitution.[1]

History

[edit]
Ballot paper used during the 1999 Election

The party was established on 23 February 1999, towards the end of the 14th Knesset's term, by Mordechai, David Magen and Dan Meridor from Likud, Hagai Meirom and Nissim Zvili of Labor, and Eliezer Sandberg of Tzomet. However, the most significant ally for Mordechai was General Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, the just-retired army Chief-of-Staff who had been a bitter rival for that post in 1994.

The party borrowed many of its themes from The Third Way, a group that split with the Labor Party in 1994 over the latter's willingness to negotiate the return of the Golan Heights to Syria for a peace treaty. However, by 1999 The Third Way was a partner of the Likud government and had lost public support due to its lack of influence on Netanyahu. Mordechai wanted further progress in the Oslo Accords, and clashed with the prime minister and other members of his cabinet.

Bringing Dan Meridor on board was important. One of the Likud's younger members, Meridor had a solid record as minister of justice from 1988 until 1992, was the son of Irgun resistance member and later Knesset member Eliyahu Meridor, and was a civilian counterbalance to Mordechai.[2]

1999 elections

[edit]

Prior to the 1999 elections the party changed its name to the Center Party. Mordechai was also a candidate in the direct election for prime minister but dropped out when it became clear that Ehud Barak was rising in the polls. In the Knesset elections, the Center Party won roughly 5% of the vote, enough for 6 seats.

Joining the government

[edit]

The party joined Ehud Barak's One Israel coalition alongside Shas, Meretz, the National Religious Party and Yisrael BaAliyah. Mordechai became Minister of Transport and Deputy Prime Minister, whilst Lipkin-Shahak became Minister of Tourism. Following Shas leaving the coalition in August 2000, former mayor of Tel Aviv, Roni Milo, was made Minister of Health. Mordechai resigned in the wake of a sex scandal on 30 May 2000; Lipkin-Shahak replaced him as Minister of Transport. Milo and former Likud member Yehiel Lasry defected back to Likud, and Rabin-Pelossof, Lipkin, and Uri Savir formed the New Way after Barak lost elections for prime minister to Ariel Sharon in 2001. By the end of the Knesset term only Meridor and Nehama Ronen remained in the faction. The party did not run in the 2003 elections.

Election results

[edit]
Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Status
1999 Yitzhak Mordechai 165,622 5.0 (#8)
6 / 120
 Increase 6 Government
2003 Dan Meridor 1,961 0.06 (#21)
0 / 120
 Decrease 6 Extraparliamentary

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Israel at the Polls, 1999, eds Daniel Judah Elazar and M. Ben Mollov
  2. ^ "Center Party". en.idi.org.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2019-07-28.
[edit]
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