Seventeenth government of Israel

{{Short description|1974–77 government led by Yitzhak Rabin}}

{{Infobox government cabinet

|cabinet_name = First Rabin Cabinet

|cabinet_number = 17th

|jurisdiction = Israel

|flag = Flag of Israel.svg

|flag_border = true

|date_formed = {{Start date|1974|06|03|df=y}}

|date_dissolved = {{End date|1977|06|20|df=y}}

|government_head = Yitzhak Rabin

|state_head = Ephraim Katzir

|image = Flickr - Government Press Office (GPO) - ISRAEL AMBASSADOR TO U.S.A. YITZHAK RABIN AND HIS WIFE LEAH (1) (crop).jpg

|legislature_status = Coalition

|political_parties = Alignment
National Religious Party (from 30 October 1974)
Ratz (until 6 November 1974)
Independent Liberals

|previous = 16th Cabinet of Israel

|successor = 18th Cabinet of Israel

|legislature_term = 8th Knesset

|opposition_leader = Menachem Begin

}}

The seventeenth government of Israel was formed by Yitzhak Rabin on 3 June 1974, following the resignation of Prime Minister Golda Meir on 11 April and Rabin's election as Labor Party leader on 26 April. It was the first time an Israeli government had been led by a native-born Israeli (although Rabin was born in the British Mandate for Palestine prior to independence).[http://www.jafi.org.il/education/jafi75/timeline6e.html 1974 timeline] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203154229/http://www.jafi.org.il/education/jafi75/timeline6e.html |date=2008-12-03 }} Jewish Agency for Israel

As well as the 54-seat Alignment (of which the Labor Party was the largest faction, alongside Mapam and the two Labor-affiliated Israeli Arab parties, Progress and Development and the Arab List for Bedouin and Villagers, which merged into the United Arab List towards the end of the Knesset term), Rabin also included the Independent Liberals, who held four seats, and Ratz, which had three. The coalition had only a one-seat majority, with just 61 of the 120 seats in the Knesset, and was the first in Israeli political history to not contain a religious party. This status lasted until 30 October when the National Religious Party (NRP) joined the coalition, taking the number of seats up to 71, although Ratz left on 6 November,{{cite web |year= 2010|url = https://www.knesset.gov.il/history/eng/eng_hist8_s.htm|title = Factional and Government Make-Up of the Eighth Knesset |work = The State of Israel|publisher = Knesset| access-date = April 5, 2010 | last=Knesset.gov.il|quote=}} reducing the number by three. In forming the government, Rabin dropped the development portfolio.[https://www.knesset.gov.il/govt/eng/GovtByNumber_eng.asp?govt=16 Eighth Knesset: Government 16] Knesset website[https://www.knesset.gov.il/govt/eng/GovtByNumber_eng.asp?govt=17 Eighth Knesset: Government 17] Knesset website

The government was dissolved by Rabin on 22 December 1976, following the abstention of the NRP on a vote of no confidence regarding an apparent breach of the Sabbath during a ceremony at an Israeli Air Force base, but continued, without the NRP members, who all resigned on 22 December, as a caretaker government until the formation of the eighteenth government following the May 1977 elections. However, following the Dollar Account affair in March 1977, Rabin announced on 6 April that he was resigning as head of the Labor Party, and Minister of Defense Shimon Peres was unanimously elected to succeed him. As Israeli law prohibited resignation from a caretaker government, Rabin suspended himself from his duties as Prime Minister and Peres took his place as an unofficial acting Prime Minister.[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/1990-1995/Israeli%20Government-%20Legal%20Situation Israeli Government- Legal Situation] Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 6 November 1995

{{Infobox election

| election_name = Israeli government formation, June 1974

| country = Israel

| flag_year =

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| party_colour =

| previous_election =

| previous_year = 1974

| next_election =

| next_year = 1977

| election_date = 3 June 1974

| 1blank = Investiture vote - In favor

| 2blank = Investiture vote - Against

| 3blank = Investiture vote - Abstain

| image1 = 130x130px

| nominee1 = Yitzhak Rabin

| party1 = Alignment (Israel)

| home_state1 =

| running_mate1 =

| states_carried1 =

| electoral_vote1 = 61

| percentage1 = 50.8%

| image2 = 130x130px

| nominee2 = Menachem Begin

| party2 = Likud

| home_state2 =

| running_mate2 =

| states_carried2 =

| electoral_vote2 = 59

| percentage2 = 49.2%

| map_image =

| map_size =

| map_caption =

| title = Prime Minister

| before_election = Golda Meir

| before_party = Alignment (Israel)

| after_election = Yitzhak Rabin

| after_party = Alignment (Israel)

}}

{{Yitzhak Rabin series}}