Religious Zionist Party

Tkuma was established by Hanan Porat and Zvi Hendel in 1998. The pair left the National Religious Party in reaction to the Wye River Memorandum.{{Cite web|url=https://knesset.gov.il/faction/eng/FactionPage_eng.asp?PG=100|title=Parliamentary Groups in the Knesset}} Almost immediately after the creation of Tkuma, it joined together with Moledet and Herut – The National Movement, to form the National Union, a right-wing coalition which won four seats in the 1999 elections, with only one of those seats going to Tkuma. These elections were a failure for the right-wing bloc, and were won by Ehud Barak, leaving the National Union and Tkuma in the opposition.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/aboutisrael/history/pages/israeli%20election%20results-%20may%201999.aspx|title=Israeli Election Results- May 1999}}

In February 2000, Yisrael Beiteinu joined the National Union, alongside Tkuma, and the two parties joined Ariel Sharon's first government in 2001. One year later, Tkuma and the rest of the National Union left Sharon's government over disagreements over the handling of the Second Intifada. For the 2003 elections, the National Union kept its alliance with Yisrael Beiteinu, with its increased support helping to win seven seats for the entire list, and two for Tkuma. The party was included in Ariel Sharon's coalition, alongside Likud, Shinui, the National Religious Party, and Yisrael BaAliyah.{{Cite web|url=https://www.knesset.gov.il/history/eng/eng_hist16_s.htm|title=Factional and Government Make-Up of the Sixteenth Knesset}}

Because of tensions over the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip (Tkuma was ideologically opposed, and Hendel lived in the Gaza settlement of Ganei Tal), National Union ministers Binyamin Elon and Avigdor Lieberman were sacked, and the party left the coalition. However, the National Union was bolstered by the addition of Ahi, which had split off from the National Religious Party when they decided to remain in the coalition.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2004/06/05/sharon-fires-two-who-oppose-gaza-plan/edf06ced-b605-45bf-a879-8b2a37f691d2/|title=Sharon Fires Two Who Oppose Gaza Plan|last=Shulman|first=Robin|date=5 June 2004|newspaper=The Washington Post}}

Before the 2006 elections, the alliance between the National Union and Yisrael Beiteinu was dissolved, and a new alliance between the National Union and the National Religious Party was formed, which won nine seats, two of which were allocated to Tkuma and taken by Hendel and Uri Ariel.{{Cite web|url=https://www.knesset.gov.il/faction/eng/FactionHistoryAll_eng.asp|title=Mergers and Splits Among Parliamentary Groups}}

On 3 November 2008, ahead of the 2009 elections, Tkuma faced a crisis. The party itself announced that it would unite with Ahi, the National Religious Party, and Moledet, to form a new right-wing party,{{Cite news |last=Meranda |first=Amnon |title=Right-wing parties unite |website=Yedioth Ahronoth |date=3 November 2008|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3617027,00.html |access-date=12 August 2019}} which was later named the Jewish Home. However, around half of the former Tkuma members later left the new party to re-establish Tkuma and rejoin the National Union alongside Moledet, Hatikva, and Eretz Yisrael Shelanu.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/Israel/Hatikva-Party-courts-Tkuma-as-hard-line-factions-fracture|title=Hatikva Party courts Tkuma as hard-line factions fracture |work=The Jerusalem Post|first=Abe|last=Selig|date=24 December 2008|access-date=23 February 2019}} In the elections themselves, the National Union got four seats, with Tkuma getting two seats.

Image:National Union Jewish Home.png and the National Union]]

Ahead of the 2013 elections, the National Union split, with all member parties except for Tkuma splitting off to form Otzma LeYisrael, leaving Tkuma as the only party left in the National Union. Tkuma proceeded to change its name to "National Union–Tkuma", appropriating the National Union name. The party opted to run as part of the Jewish Home list for the 2013 elections. The Jewish Home won 12 seats, four of which (Ariel, Ben-Dahan, Kalfa, and Strook) were members of Tkuma. The party decided to continue its alliance with the Jewish Home for the 2015 Knesset elections,{{Cite news |last=Ezra |first=Hezki |title=Tekuma Decides: No Split from Jewish Home |website=Arutz Sheva |date=20 December 2014 |url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/188892 |access-date=20 December 2014}} taking the 2nd, 8th, 13th, and 17th spots on the joint list.{{cite news |author=Avi Lewis|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-home-faction-tekumah-selects-knesset-candidates/ |title=Jewish Home faction Tekumah selects Knesset candidates |newspaper=The Times of Israel |date=12 January 2015 |access-date=15 June 2015}} The Jewish Home dropped to eight seats in that election.{{Cite web|url=http://www.votes20.gov.il/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318200737/http://www.votes20.gov.il/|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 March 2015|title=ועדת הבחירות המרכזית לכנסת ה-20 {{!}} תוצאות ארציות|date=18 March 2015|access-date=23 February 2019}}

Image:National_Union_-_Tkuma_logo.png

In 2019 Bezalel Smotrich took over party leadership, winning party elections in a landslide against Ariel.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/hardliner-smotrich-wins-race-to-lead-influential-jewish-home-sub-faction/|title=Hardliner Smotrich wins race to lead influential Jewish Home sub-faction|last=Magid|first=Jacob|date=14 January 2019|work=The Times of Israel|language=en-US|access-date=20 January 2019}} Ahead of the April 2019 elections, the party joined with the Jewish Home and Otzma Yehudit to create the Union of Right-Wing Parties, which won five seats in the elections,{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/far-right-otzma-yehudit-accuses-jewish-home-of-not-honoring-election-pact/|title=Far-right Otzma Yehudit accuses Jewish Home of not honoring election pact|date=20 June 2019|accessdate=16 October 2023|work=The Times of Israel|author=Staff writer}} two of which went to National Union–Tkuma.{{cn|date=October 2023}}

Ahead of the September 2019 elections, Tkuma and the Jewish Home agreed to form an alliance with the New Right, called Yamina,{{Cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/267286|title=United Right to run under name 'Yemina'|work=Arutz Sheva|date=12 August 2019|author=Staff writer|author-link=Staff writer}} with Tkuma leader Smotrich receiving the third spot on the joint list.{{Cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/266645|title=New Right, United Right reach final agreement on joint run|website=Arutz Sheva|language=en|access-date=29 July 2019|date=29 July 2019|author=Staff}}

Yamina officially split on 10 October 2019 into two Knesset factions – the New Right, and the Jewish Home–National Union.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/yamina-party-officially-splits-into-new-right-jewish-home-national-union/|title=Yamina party officially splits into New Right, Jewish Home-National Union|work=The Times of Israel|date=10 October 2019|access-date=21 October 2019|first=Raoul|last=Wootliff}} For the 2020 elections, Otzma Yehudit and The Jewish Home agreed on 20 December to run together,{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Religious-Zionist-Bayt-Yehudit-and-far-right-Otzma-Yehudit-to-run-together-611563|title=Religious Zionist Bayit Yehudi and far-right Otzma Yehudit to run together|work=The Jerusalem Post|date=20 December 2019|first=Rossella|last=Tercatin|access-date=31 December 2019}} in an alliance later named the United Jewish Home.{{Cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/jewish-home-otzma-yehudit-alliance-reveals-new-name-logo/|title=Jewish Home-Otzma Yehudit alliance reveals new name, logo|work=The Times of Israel|access-date=31 December 2019|date=31 December 2019}} Smotrich was critical of the move, stating that it was unlikely that the alliance would pass the electoral threshold.{{Cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/smotrich-says-he-wont-join-jewish-home-otzma-yehudit-merger-at-any-cost/|title=Smotrich says he won't join Jewish Home-Otzma Yehudit merger "at any cost"|work=The Times of Israel|access-date=31 December 2019|date=31 December 2019|first=Jacob|last=Magid}} Tkuma, The Jewish Home, and the New Right reformed Yamina on 15 January 2020.{{cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/274617|title=Bennett, Peretz, Smotrich agree to joint run without Ben Gvir|work=Arutz Sheva|author=Staff writer|author-link=Staff writer|date=15 January 2020|access-date=15 January 2020}} On 22 April 2020 it was reported that Yamina leader Naftali Bennett was now "considering all options" for Yamina's political future, including departing from Netanyahu's government, which had just agreed to a coalition government with the leader of the opposition Blue and White party, Benny Gantz, and joining the opposition. Bennett was said to be unhappy with the new coalition government's decision to hold back on the issue of judicial reform.{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-to-meet-with-yamina-heads-as-party-considers-joining-unity-government/|title=Netanyahu speaks with Bennett as Yamina considers joining unity government|first=Raoul|last=Wootliff|website=The Times of Israel|date=22 April 2020|access-date=22 April 2020}}

On 14 May 2020 The Jewish Home's only Knesset member, Rafi Peretz, ended his status as a member of Yamina, and agreed to join Netanyahu's new government as well.{{cite web|url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280270|title=Rabbi Rafi Peretz signs coalition agreement with the Likud|work=Arutz Sheva|date=15 May 2020|first=Ido|last=Ben Porat}}{{Cite news|work=Hamodia|first=Yoni|last=Weiss|title=Minister Rafi Peretz Leaves Yamina to Join New Government|url=https://hamodia.com/2020/05/14/minister-rafi-peretz-leaves-yamina-join-new-government/|date=14 May 2020|access-date=17 May 2020|archive-date=23 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223101549/https://hamodia.com/2020/05/14/minister-rafi-peretz-leaves-yamina-join-new-government/|url-status=dead}} On 15 May, Tkuma, along with the New Right, split with Netanyahu and made the Yamina alliance a member of the opposition. On 17 May 2020 Bennett met with Gantz, who also succeeded him as defence minister, and declared that the Yamina party would be a member of the opposition, with its "head held high".{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/yamina-chair-says-party-heading-to-opposition-with-head-held-high/|title=Yamina chair says party heading to opposition with 'head held high'|work=The Times of Israel|first=Jacob|last=Magid|date=17 May 2020|access-date=20 January 2021}} Tkuma was renamed on 7 January, while it ended its membership in Yamina on 20 January 2021.{{cite news|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-elections/bennetts-yamina-party-formally-splits-656076|title=Bennett's Yamina party formally splits|first=Gil|last=Hoffman|website=The Jerusalem Post|date=20 January 2021|access-date=20 January 2021}}

File:Religious Zionist party logo 2021.svg as part of the rebranding of National Union party]]

In February 2021 the party agreed to run a shared list for the 2021 Knesset elections with Noam and Otzma Yehudit.{{Cite news|url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/296180|title=Religious Zionist, Otzma Yehudit parties to run together|work=Arutz Sheva|author=Staff writer|access-date=6 February 2021|date=3 February 2021}} The list ran under the Religious Zionist Party name and won six seats,{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-anti-gay-mks-sworn-in-activists-fear-step-backwards-on-lgbt-rights/|title=As anti-gay MKs sworn in, activists fear 'step backwards' on LGBT rights|work=The Times of Israel|date=6 April 2021|accessdate=17 October 2023|author1=Nir Kafri|author2=Alexandra Vardi}} four of which were filled by Religious Zionist Party members.{{cn|date=October 2023}} On 14 June, after the swearing-in of the 36th government, MK Ofir Sofer split from the Likud faction and merged into the Religious Zionist Party, increasing the number of seats held by the party to seven. He had run during the election as part of the Likud list for Knesset, as a member of Atid Ehad party, using it as a shelf party (a dormant, but still-registered, party brought back into use).{{cite news |title=Official: Ofir Sofer returns to the Religious Zionist Party |url=https://www.srugim.co.il/571778-רשמית-אופיר-סופר-חוזר-למפלגת-הציונות-ה |work=Srugim |date=14 June 2021 |language=he}}{{cite news |title=Ophir Sofer returns, Yamina waiting for Shai Maimon |url=https://www.inn.co.il/news/495823 |work=Arutz 7 |date=14 June 2021 |language=he}}

The Religious Zionist Party, Noam and Otzma Yehudit submitted a single list on 14 September 2022 ahead of the 2022 Knesset elections,{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/national-unity-religious-zionism-and-yisrael-beytenu-submit-final-candidate-lists/|title=National Unity, Religious Zionism and Yisrael Beytenu submit final candidate lists|work=The Times of Israel|date=14 September 2022|accessdate=20 November 2022|author=Carrie Keller-Lynn}} which saw the alliance win 14 seats. The parties split into three parties in the Knesset on 20 November 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/separating-from-religious-zionism-otzma-yehudit-and-noam-now-independent-factions/|title=After joint run, Religious Zionism party splits into three factions|work=The Times of Israel|date=20 November 2022|accessdate=20 November 2022}}

The Religious Zionist Party is opposed to any territorial concessions to Palestinian or Syrian claims for land. Some members support the annexation of the entire West Bank, though the official policy of the Jewish Home parliamentary faction, of which the party was aligned between 2013 and 2019, only supports annexation of Area C of the West Bank, which makes up the 63% of land in the West Bank allocated to Israel in the Oslo Accords.{{cite news|first=Raphael|last=Ahren|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/from-annexation-to-right-of-return-what-the-parties-say-about-the-palestinians/ |title=From annexation to right of return: What the parties say about the Palestinians |newspaper=The Times of Israel |date=12 March 2015 |access-date=15 June 2015}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=99EkDwAAQBAJ&q=Tkuma+party&pg=PT12|title=The Elections in Israel 2015|last1=Shamir|first1=Michal|last2=Rahat|first2=Gideon|date=23 May 2017|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781351621083|language=en}} The party is opposed to recognition of same-sex marriage on a religious basis.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5153224,00.html|title=Religious-Zionist rabbi: LGBT culture is a 'spreading sickness'|date=3 October 2018|website=Yedioth Ahronoth|first=Kobi|last=Nachshoni|language=en|access-date=12 April 2019}} The party advocates for increased funding for Torah study and religious education.{{cite web | url=https://zionutdatit.org.il/en/about/ | title=About the party|website=zionutdatit.org.il|access-date=26 December 2022}} Jewish-American columnist David E. Rosenberg has stated that the Religious Zionist Party's "platform includes things like annexation of West Bank settlements, the expulsion of asylum-seekers, and political control of the judicial system". He further described the Religious Zionist Party as a political party "driven by Jewish supremacy and anti-Arab racism". The party has been assessed by The Middle East Journal as "militantly anti-Arab" and far-right.

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

! colspan=3 | Leader

! Took office

! Left office

|-

| style="background:{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}; color: white" | 1

| 70px

| Hanan Porat

| 1998

| 1999

|-

| style="background:{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}; color: white" | 2

| 70px

| Zvi Hendel

| 1999

| 2009

|-

| style="background:{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}; color: white" | 3

| 70px

| Ya'akov Katz

| 2009

| 2012

|-

| style="background:{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}; color: white" | 4

| 70px

| Uri Ariel

| 2012

| 2019

|-

| style="background:{{party color|Religious Zionist Party}}; color: white" | 5

| 70px

| Bezalel Smotrich

| 2019

| 2023

|}

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

!Election

!Leader

!Votes

!%

!Seats

!+/–

!Status

|-

|rowspan=2|1999

|rowspan=2|Hanan Porat

|rowspan=4 colspan=2|Part of the National Union

|rowspan=2|{{Composition bar|1|120|{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}}}

|rowspan=2|–

|{{no2|Opposition}} {{small|(1999–2001)}}

|-

|{{yes2|Coalition}} {{small|(2001–2003)}}

|-

|rowspan=2|2003

|rowspan=3|Zvi Hendel

|rowspan=2|{{Composition bar|2|120|{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}}}

|rowspan=2|{{increase}} 1

|{{yes2|Coalition}} {{small|(2003–2004)}}

|-

|{{no2|Opposition}} {{small|(2004–2006)}}

|-

|2006

|colspan=2|Part of the NU–NRP

|{{Composition bar|2|120|{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}}}

|{{nochange}}

|{{no2|Opposition}}

|-

|2009

|align=left|Ya'akov Katz

|colspan=2|Part of the National Union

|{{Composition bar|2|120|{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}}}

|{{nochange}}

|{{no2|Opposition}}

|-

|2013

|rowspan=2|Uri Ariel

|colspan=2 rowspan=2|Part of the Jewish Home

|{{Composition bar|4|120|{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}}}

|{{increase}} 2

|{{yes2|Coalition}}

|-

|2015

|{{Composition bar|2|120|{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}}}

|{{decrease}} 2

|{{yes2|Coalition}}

|-

|Apr 2019

|rowspan=5|Bezalel Smotrich

|colspan=2|Part of the URWP

|{{Composition bar|2|120|{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}}}

|{{nochange}}

|{{partial2|Snap election}}

|-

|Sep 2019

|colspan=2 rowspan=2|Part of Yamina

|{{Composition bar|2|120|{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}}}

|{{nochange}}

|{{partial2|Snap election}}

|-

|2020

|{{Composition bar|2|120|{{party color|Tkuma (political party)}}}}

|{{nochange}}

|{{no2|Opposition}}

|-

|2021{{efn|Otzma Yehudit and Noam ran on the Religious Zionist Party list; the entire list won six seats, with Otzma Yehudit and Noam winning one each}}

|colspan=2 rowspan=2|With Otzma Yehudit and Noam

|{{Composition bar|4|120|#214785}}

|{{increase}} 2

|{{no2|Opposition}}

|-

|2022{{efn|Otzma Yehudit and Noam ran on the Religious Zionist Party list; the entire list won fourteen seats, with Otzma Yehudit winning six and Noam winning one}}

|{{Composition bar|7|120|#214785}}

|{{increase}} 3

|{{yes2|Coalition}}

|}

{| class="wikitable"

!Knesset term

!Seats

!Members

|-

|2015–2019

|align=center|2

|Uri Ariel, Bezalel Smotrich

|-

|2019

|align=center|2

|Bezalel Smotrich, Ofir Sofer

|-

|2019–2020

|align=center|2

|Bezalel Smotrich, Ofir Sofer

|-

|2020–2021

|align=center|2

|Bezalel Smotrich, Ofir Sofer

|-

|2021–2022

|align=center|5

|Bezalel Smotrich, Michal Waldiger, Simcha Rothman, Orit Strook, Ofir Sofer{{efn|Joined during the Knesset term.}}

|-

|2022–2023

|align=center|7

|Bezalel Smotrich, Ofir Sofer, Orit Strook, Simcha Rothman, Michal Waldiger, Ohad Tal, Moshe Solomon, Zvi Sukkot (replaced Smotrich on 5 February 2023){{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-02-05/ty-article/.premium/far-right-settler-leader-becomes-mk-under-law-to-expand-size-of-government/00000186-213a-d442-a18f-afbbb1ac0000|title=Far-right Settler Leader Becomes MK Under Law to Expand Size of Government|work=Haaretz|date=5 February 2023|accessdate=16 October 2023}}

|}

• Orthodox Judaism
• Religious Zionism
• Gush Emunim

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• {{Official website}} {{in lang|he}}

{{Israeli political parties}}

{{Religious Zionism}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tkuma}}

Category:1998 establishments in Israel

Category:2023 disestablishments in Israel

Category:Anti-Arabism in Israel

Category:Conservative parties in Israel

Category:Defunct political parties in Israel

Category:Far-right political parties in Israel

Category:Jewish supremacy

Category:Kahanism

Category:Organizations that oppose LGBTQ rights in Israel

Category:Orthodox Jewish political parties

Category:Political parties disestablished in 2023

Category:Political parties established in 1998

Category:Political parties in Israel

Category:Religious Zionist political parties in Israel

Category:Right-wing populism in Israel

Category:Right-wing populist parties

Category:Social conservative parties

Category:Ultranationalist parties