New Hope (Israel)

File:New Hope party logo 2021.svg

The party was formed by former Likud MK and former minister Gideon Sa'ar on 8 December 2020,{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/likuds-gideon-saar-expected-to-form-his-own-party-in-challenge-to-netanyahu/|title=Gideon Sa'ar quits Likud, "a tool for Netanyahu's interests", to lead new party|work=The Times of Israel|date=8 December 2020|access-date=8 December 2020}} with Sa'ar subsequently submitting his resignation from the Knesset on 9 December.{{cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/gideon-saars-party-would-get-17-mandates-if-elections-held-today-poll-651567|title=Gideon Sa'ar resigns from Knesset|work=The Jerusalem Post|date=9 December 2020|access-date=9 December 2020|first=Gil|last=Hoffman}} On the same day, Derekh Eretz MKs Yoaz Hendel and Zvi Hauser announced that they would join New Hope.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/saar-party-gets-first-boost-as-derech-eretz-mks-hendel-hauser-join-up/|title=Sa'ar party gets first boost as Derech Eretz MKs Hendel, Hauser join up|work=The Times of Israel|first=Raoul|last=Wootliff|date=9 December 2020|access-date=10 December 2020}} Likud MKs Yifat Shasha-Biton,{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/rebel-likud-mk-announces-shes-joining-gideon-saars-new-party/|title=Rebel Likud MK announces she's joining Gideon Sa'ar's new party|work=The Times of Israel|date=15 December 2020|access-date=17 December 2020}} Michal Shir,{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/mk-michal-shir-becomes-latest-likud-defector-to-join-gideon-saar/|title=MK Michal Shir becomes latest Likud defector to join Gideon Sa'ar|work=The Times of Israel|date=22 December 2020|access-date=21 December 2020}} Sharren Haskel,{{cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-elections/sharren-haskel-joins-saars-new-hope-says-govt-must-be-replaced-652982|title=Israel Election: Sharren Haskel joins Sa'ar, says gov't must be replaced|work=The Jerusalem Post|date=23 December 2020|access-date=23 December 2020|first=Gil|last=Hoffman}} and Ze'ev Elkin{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/zeev-elkin-quits-likud-to-join-saar-accuses-netanyahu-of-destroying-party/|title=Quitting Likud to join Sa'ar, Ze'ev Elkin says Netanyahu forced these elections|work=The Times of Israel|author=TOI Staff|date=23 December 2020|access-date=21 February 2021}} later joined as well. Meir Yitzhak Halevi joined the party on 28 December.{{cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/eilat-mayor-joins-gideon-saars-new-hope-party-653466|title=Eilat mayor joins Gideon Sa'ar's New Hope Party|first1=Gil|last1=Hoffman|first2=Tzvi|last2=Joffre|date=28 December 2020|access-date=21 January 2021|work=Arutz Sheva}} Benny Begin and Dani Dayan joined on 21 January 2021,{{cite web|url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/295337|title=Former Minister Benny Begin joins Sa'ar's party|first=Hezki |last=Baruch|date=21 January 2021|access-date=21 January 2021|work=Arutz Sheva}}{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/dani-dayan-ex-settler-leader-and-consul-general-to-ny-joins-saars-party/|title=Dani Dayan, ex-settler leader and consul-general to NY, joins Sa'ar's party|work=The Times of Israel|date=13 January 2021|access-date=21 February 2021}} whilst MK Hila Vazan joined on 31 January.{{cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/south-african-returning-to-knesset-657299/|title=South African MK Wasserman returning to Knesset| work=The Jerusalem Post|date=31 January 2021|access-date=31 January 2021|first=Gil|last=Hoffman|authorlink=Gil Hoffman}}

The party signed a surplus-vote agreement with Yamina on 4 January 2021.{{Cite web|title=Four parties conspire against Netanyahu with vote deals|url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/yamina-and-new-hope-sign-surplus-vote-sharing-agreement-654229|date=4 January 2021|access-date=10 February 2021|website=The Jerusalem Post|first=Gil|last=Hoffman|language=en-US}}

On 10 July 2022, New Hope formed a joint list with Blue and White, led by Benny Gantz, ahead of the upcoming legislative election.{{Cite news |date=10 July 2022 |title=Blue and White, New Hope announce union, will run as joint slate in November vote |work=The Times of Israel |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/blue-and-white-new-hope-confirm-new-union-will-run-as-joint-slate-in-november-vote/|access-date=12 March 2024}} The next month, the name of the joint list, National Unity, was announced.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/ex-military-chief-eisenkot-enters-politics-will-run-with-gantz-led-national-camp/|title=Ex-IDF chief Eisenkot, former Yamina minister Kahana join Gantz-led 'National Unity'|first=Carrie|last=Keller-Lynn|date=14 August 2022|accessdate=12 March 2024|work=The Times of Israel}}

In October 2023, National Unity joined the Thirty-seventh government of Israel and the Israeli war cabinet in the aftermath of the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.{{Cite news |title=Knesset okays war cabinet; PM: Saturday 'most horrible day for Jews since Holocaust' |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/knesset-okays-war-cabinet-pm-saturday-most-horrible-day-for-jews-since-holocaust/ |access-date=26 March 2024|date=12 October 2023 |website=The Times of Israel|first=Carrie|last=Keller-Lynn}} Sa'ar announced on 12 March 2024 that New Hope would again be an independent faction,{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/saar-splits-from-gantzs-national-unity-party-demands-seat-in-war-cabinet/|title=Sa'ar splits from Gantz's National Unity party, demands seat in war cabinet|first=Sam|last=Sokol|website=The Times of Israel |date=12 March 2024|accessdate=12 March 2024}} which was approved by the Knesset House committee the following night.{{cite web |last=Breuer |first=Eliav |date=13 March 2024 |title=Benny Gantz on Gideon Sa'ar breaking away: Not the time for politics|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-791737 |accessdate=13 March 2024|work=The Jerusalem Post}} Sa'ar stated on 16 March that his party would resign from the government and join the opposition if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not appoint him to the Israeli war cabinet.{{cite web |author=Staff writer |date=16 March 2024 |title=Sa'ar threatens to bolt coalition unless Netanyahu puts him in war cabinet very soon|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/saar-threatens-to-bolt-government-unless-netanyahu-appoints-him-to-war-cabinet/ |accessdate=18 March 2024|work=The Times of Israel}} Sa'ar announced on 25 March that his party had resigned from the government.{{cite web |last=Sokol|first=Sam|date=25 March 2024 |title=Gideon Sa'ar quits coalition after Netanyahu fails to appoint him to war cabinet|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/gideon-saar-quits-coalition-after-netanyahu-fails-to-appoint-him-to-war-cabinet/ |accessdate=26 March 2024|work=The Times of Israel}} The party rejoined the Netanyahu government in September 2024, with Sa'ar joining the cabinet as Foreign Minister.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-he-officially-rejoins-government-saar-blasts-opposition-for-living-in-oct-6/|title=As he officially rejoins government, Sa’ar blasts opposition for ‘living in Oct. 6’|work=The Times of Israel|date=30 September 2024|access-date=30 September 2024}} The party subsequently signed a merger agreement with Likud in March 2025, which will go into effect before the next election.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-13 |title=גדעון סער חוזר לליכוד: אלו פרטי ההסכם בין שתי המפלגות |url=https://www.maariv.co.il/news/politics/article-1179992 |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=www.maariv.co.il |language=he}}

New Hope sees the State of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people and sees importance in military, economic, technological, research, settlement aspects of the state, with support for Jewish immigration to Israel. The party sees social divisions in Israel as problematic and promises to work for reconciliation and connection between parts of the nation.{{cite web | url=https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/politics/1662461032-explainer-israel-s-political-parties-leading-up-to-2022-elections | title=I24NEWS }}

On social issues, the party advocates for legalisation of cannabis{{Cite web |date=9 March 2021 |title=Legalisation of Cannabis |url=https://www.newhope.org.il/en/legalisation-of-cannabis/ |access-date=26 March 2024 |website=מפלגת תקווה חדשה |language=en-US}} and LGBT rights.{{Cite web |date=10 March 2021 |title=New Hope for the LGBT community |url=https://www.newhope.org.il/en/new-hope-for-the-lgbt-community/ |access-date=26 March 2024 |website=מפלגת תקווה חדשה |language=en-US}}

The party supports a partially mixed economy with a strong and partially subsidized capitalist focus. It advocates an expansion of the technological sector and of Israel's infrastructure, as well as supporting a reduction in the size of the country's bureaucracy. It also supports an expansion of Israel's social safety net, and grants for small businesses.{{Cite web|title=5 הנקודות לשיפור הכלכלה|url=https://www.newhope.org.il/economy/|access-date=10 February 2021|website=מפלגת תקווה חדשה|language=he-IL}}

New Hope supports term limits, with a proposal to limit the tenure of a prime minister to eight years. In addition, their platform includes a proposal to elect the Knesset via mixed-member representation.{{Cite web|date=7 February 2021|title=תקווה חדשה לשינוי השיטה|url=https://www.newhope.org.il/method/|access-date=10 February 2021|website=מפלגת תקווה חדשה|language=he-IL}}

The party is also interested in increasing the powers of local government at the expense of the powers of the central government.{{Cite web|date=9 March 2021|title=New Hope for a Change in the System of Government|url=https://www.newhope.org.il/en/new-hope-for-a-change-in-the-system-of-government/|access-date=5 June 2021|website=מפלגת תקווה חדשה|language=en-US}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

! colspan="3" | Leader

! Took office

! Left office

|-

| style="background: {{party color|New Hope (Israel)}}; color: white" |

| 90px

| Gideon Sa'ar

| 2020

| Incumbent

|}

{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center

!Election

!Leader

!Votes

!%

!Seats

!+/–

!Status

|-

|2021

|align=left rowspan=2 rowspan=13| Gideon Sa'ar

|209,137

|4.74

|{{composition bar|6|120|{{party color|New Hope (Israel)}}}}

|New

|{{yes2|Coalition}}

|-

|rowspan=4|2022

|colspan=2 rowspan=4|Part of National Unity

|rowspan=4|{{composition bar|4|120|{{party color|New Hope (Israel)}}}}

|rowspan=4|{{decrease}} 2

|{{no2|Opposition {{small|(2022–Oct 2023)}}}}

|-

|{{yes2|Coalition {{small|(Oct 2023–March 2024)}}}}

|-

|{{no2|Opposition {{small|(March 2024–September 2024)}}}}

|-

|{{yes2|Coalition {{small|(September 2024–)}}}}

|}

{| class="wikitable"

|+

!Knesset

!Members

!Seats

|-

|24th

|Gideon Sa'ar (replaced by Michal Shir on 9 July 2021; Shir was replaced by Michel Buskila on 2 August 2022), Yifat Shasha-Biton, Ze'ev Elkin (replaced by Meir Yitzhak Halevi on 15 June 2021), Yoaz Hendel (replaced by Zvi Hauser{{ref label|derekh-eretz|b|↑}} on 15 June 2021), Sharren Haskel, Benny Begin

|6

|-

|25th

|Gideon Sa'ar, Yifat Shasha-Biton (replaced by Michel Buskila on 5 July 2024), Ze'ev Elkin, Sharren Haskel

|4

|}

1. {{note label|derekh-eretz|b|↑|A member of the Derekh Eretz party}}

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