Israeli prime ministerial election, 1996
Encyclopedia
The first ever election for Prime Minister was held in Israel
on 29 May 1996 alongside simultaneous Knesset elections
. There were only two candidates: Shimon Peres
of the Labour Party
and Binyamin Netanyahu of Likud
. The result was a surprise win for Netanyahu by a margin of 29,457 votes, less than 1% of the total number of votes cast, and much smaller than the number of spoiled votes. This came after the initial exit polls had predicted a Peres win, spawning the phrase "went to sleep with Peres, woke up with Netanyahu." The election was Peres' fourth and last election defeat.
The election was a result of a change in the law during the thirteenth Knesset
, intended to strengthen the position of Prime Minister
given the Knesset
's fragmentary nature.
following his assassination
, Peres decided to call early elections in order to give the government a mandate to advance the peace process.
Netanyahu's campaign was helped by Australia
n mining magnate Joseph Gutnick
, who donated over $1 million to Likud.
Nevertheless, Labour and Peres were comfortably ahead in the polls early in 1996, holding a lead of 20%. However, the country was hit by a spate of suicide attacks by Hamas
including the Jerusalem bus 18 massacres and other attacks in Ashkelon and the Dizengoff Center
, which killed 59 people and severely damaged Peres' chances; polls taken in mid-May showed Peres ahead by just 4-6%, whilst two days before the election his lead was down to 2%.
Several leading ultra-orthodox
Rabbis, including Elazar Shach
, called on their followers to vote for Netanyahu, whilst Leah Rabin, Yitzhak's widow, called on Israelis to vote for Peres so that her husband's death "would not be in vain."
, 97.5% of which backed him.
) lost the Knesset elections to Labour, winning only 32 seats compared to Labour's 34.
The objective of strengthening the position of Prime Minister by having separate elections was also a failure, as the election saw both major parties lose around ten seats compared to the 1992 election
(Likud held only 24 of the 32 seats it won in its alliance) as many gave their Knesset votes to smaller parties; Labour received 818,570 votes to Peres' 1.47 million, (56%), whilst the Likud-Gesher-Tzomet alliance managed even less - 767,178 compared to 1.50 million for Netanyahu (51%).
With only 32 seats, the Likud-Gesher-Tzomet alliance was, at the time, the smallest governing party in Israeli political history (the previous lowest had been Mapai
's 40 seats in the 1955 election
; since then, the 2006 elections saw Kadima emerge as the largest party with just 29 seats). This meant Netanyahu had to form a coalition with several smaller parties, including the ultra-orthodox parties Shas
and United Torah Judaism
whose financial policies (generous child benefits and state funding for religious activities) were in direct opposition to his capitalistic outlook.
After several defections from his party, Netanyahu was forced to call early elections in 1999.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
on 29 May 1996 alongside simultaneous Knesset elections
Israeli legislative election, 1996
Elections for the fourteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 29 May 1996. Voter turnout was 79.3%.The 1996 elections included two new changes, both designed to increase the stability of the Knesset. First, the Prime Minister was to be elected on a separate ballot from the remaining members of the...
. There were only two candidates: Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
of the Labour Party
Labor (Israel)
The Israeli Labor Party , commonly known as HaAvoda , is a social-democratic and labour Zionist political party in Israel. The party is an observer member of both Socialist International and the Party of European Socialists. The Israeli Labor Party was established in 1968 by a merger of Mapai,...
and Binyamin Netanyahu of Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
. The result was a surprise win for Netanyahu by a margin of 29,457 votes, less than 1% of the total number of votes cast, and much smaller than the number of spoiled votes. This came after the initial exit polls had predicted a Peres win, spawning the phrase "went to sleep with Peres, woke up with Netanyahu." The election was Peres' fourth and last election defeat.
The election was a result of a change in the law during the thirteenth Knesset
Israeli legislative election, 1992
Elections for the thirteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 23 June 1992. The result was a victory for the left, led by Yitzhak Rabin's Labor Party, though their win was at least partially due to several small right-wing parties narrowly failing to cross the electoral threshold and thus effectively...
, intended to strengthen the position of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
given the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
's fragmentary nature.
Election campaign
After taking over from Yitzhak RabinYitzhak Rabin
' was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995....
following his assassination
Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin
The assassination of Yitzhak Rabin took place on November 4, 1995 at 21:30, at the end of a rally in support of the Oslo Accords at the Kings of Israel Square in Tel Aviv...
, Peres decided to call early elections in order to give the government a mandate to advance the peace process.
Netanyahu's campaign was helped by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n mining magnate Joseph Gutnick
Joseph Gutnick
Joseph Isaac Gutnick is an Australian businessman and mining industry entrepreneur. He is also an ordained rabbi and is well known for his philanthropy in the Jewish world.-Business holdings:Among Gutnick's business holdings:...
, who donated over $1 million to Likud.
Nevertheless, Labour and Peres were comfortably ahead in the polls early in 1996, holding a lead of 20%. However, the country was hit by a spate of suicide attacks by Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
including the Jerusalem bus 18 massacres and other attacks in Ashkelon and the Dizengoff Center
Dizengoff Center
Dizengoff Center is a shopping mall at the intersection of Dizengoff Street and King George Street in Tel Aviv. The mall is named for Meir Dizengoff, the first mayor of Tel Aviv.-History:...
, which killed 59 people and severely damaged Peres' chances; polls taken in mid-May showed Peres ahead by just 4-6%, whilst two days before the election his lead was down to 2%.
Several leading ultra-orthodox
Haredi Judaism
Haredi or Charedi/Chareidi Judaism is the most conservative form of Orthodox Judaism, often referred to as ultra-Orthodox. A follower of Haredi Judaism is called a Haredi ....
Rabbis, including Elazar Shach
Elazar Shach
Elazar Menachem Man Shach also spelt Eliezer Schach, was a leading Lithuanian-born and educated Haredi rabbi in Bnei Brak, Israel. He also served as one of three co-deans of the Ponevezh yeshiva in Bnei Brak along with Rabbis Shmuel Rozovsky and Dovid Povarsky...
, called on their followers to vote for Netanyahu, whilst Leah Rabin, Yitzhak's widow, called on Israelis to vote for Peres so that her husband's death "would not be in vain."
Result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binyamin Netanyahu | Likud Likud Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had... |
1,501,023 | 50.50% |
| Shimon Peres Shimon Peres GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years... |
Labour | 1,471,566 | 49.50% |
| Invalid/blank votes | 148,681 | ||
| Total | 3,121,270 | 100% | |
Voting patterns
Netanyahu's win was bolstered by large support from the ultra-orthodox community, 91.2% of whom voted for him. Peres on the other hand, gained overwhelming support from the country's Arab communityArab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel refers to citizens of Israel who are not Jewish, and whose cultural and linguistic heritage or ethnic identity is Arab....
, 97.5% of which backed him.
Aftermath
Despite winning the election for Prime Minister, Netanyahu's Likud (in an alliance with Gesher and TzometTzomet
Tzomet is a small secular, right-wing political party in Israel.-Ideology:The party was the one who first brought the "peace for peace" slogan, which today is used by all Israeli right wing parties and movements...
) lost the Knesset elections to Labour, winning only 32 seats compared to Labour's 34.
The objective of strengthening the position of Prime Minister by having separate elections was also a failure, as the election saw both major parties lose around ten seats compared to the 1992 election
Israeli legislative election, 1992
Elections for the thirteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 23 June 1992. The result was a victory for the left, led by Yitzhak Rabin's Labor Party, though their win was at least partially due to several small right-wing parties narrowly failing to cross the electoral threshold and thus effectively...
(Likud held only 24 of the 32 seats it won in its alliance) as many gave their Knesset votes to smaller parties; Labour received 818,570 votes to Peres' 1.47 million, (56%), whilst the Likud-Gesher-Tzomet alliance managed even less - 767,178 compared to 1.50 million for Netanyahu (51%).
With only 32 seats, the Likud-Gesher-Tzomet alliance was, at the time, the smallest governing party in Israeli political history (the previous lowest had been Mapai
Mapai
Mapai was a left-wing political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the Israeli Labor Party in 1968...
's 40 seats in the 1955 election
Israeli legislative election, 1955
Elections for the third Knesset were held in Israel on 26 July 1955. Voter turnout was 82.8%.-Results:Mapai retained its plurality in the Knesset, although its share of the vote dropped by 5.1 and its share of seats dropped from 47 to 40...
; since then, the 2006 elections saw Kadima emerge as the largest party with just 29 seats). This meant Netanyahu had to form a coalition with several smaller parties, including the ultra-orthodox parties Shas
Shas
Shas is an ultra-orthodox religious political party in Israel, primarily representing Sephardic and Mizrahi Haredi Judaism.Shas was founded in 1984 by dissident members of the Ashkenazi dominated Agudat Israel, to represent the interests of religiously observant Sephardic and Mizrahi ...
and United Torah Judaism
United Torah Judaism
United Torah Judaism is an alliance of Degel HaTorah and Agudat Israel, two small Israeli Haredi political parties in the Knesset. It was first formed in 1992.The two parties have not always agreed with each other about policy matters...
whose financial policies (generous child benefits and state funding for religious activities) were in direct opposition to his capitalistic outlook.
After several defections from his party, Netanyahu was forced to call early elections in 1999.
External links
- Knesset Election Results: Fourteenth Knesset Knesset website