Mizrahi

Origins

For the majority of the orthodoxe Jews of the XIXe century, the Jewish State of Antiquity had been destroyed by the will of God and could be recreated only by one direct action of God, namely the sending of sound Messie.

A current théologiquement different was expressed in the years 1840-1870, primarily through the Rabbis:

Yehuda Shlomo Alkalai (1798 - October 1878) and its work “ Goral the-Devoted ” (Much for the lord), published with Vienna, in 1857;
Zvi Hirsch Kalischer (March 24th, 1795 - October 16th, 1874) and its work in two volumes “ Sefer Emouna Yeshara ” (Book of the Faith Right), published in 1843 and 1871.

These two monks are the true ideological founders of the religious Zionism.

There are two aspects in their work.

One of these aspects is altogether laic: they seek how to improve the fate of the Juifs, by building a State for the persecuted Jews. They are thus in phase with the reflections of other Jewish intellectuals of their time, like Moïse Hess. The rav Kalischer, in particular, had proposed to the Jews to create and adhere to associations aiming to the colonization of the Palestine.
the other aspect is more monk. For them, the civic rights granted to the Jewish in certain countries, like the France, announce the time of the redemption. But this one must be also a human work. It is a command for the Jews which to gather in Eretz Israel (Holy Land).

This interpretation, which puts part of the redemption of the Jews between human hands caused critical sharp at the majority of the orthodoxe Jews of the time.

Creation of the Mizrahi party (or Mizrachi)

The first Mizrahi association east is created with the beginning of the year 1890. But the party itself was created only in 1902.

Mizrachi is the Acronyme of Merkaz Ruchani or " center religieux". The word also means “Eastern”.

The party is founded with Vilnius (Russian, current Empire Lithuania) with a world conference of the religious Zionists, convened by the rabbi Yitzchak Yaacov Reines. This last is at the same time the creator and the first leader of the party. It has a step of very strong alliance with the other movements Zionists, even with the Marxist of the Poale zion, and Mizrahi makes party of the World Organization Zionist. He wants “rejudaïser” the Sionisme (with the religious direction), but also to take part in the Jewish colonization of Palestine.

The movement has, at the time, a weight limited enough within the movement world Zionist: they are especially the Zionists of left who dominate in Palestine and the Zionists liberal (general Sionistes) who dominate the World Organization Zionist (until in 1931).

In 1922, under the influence of the dominant ideologies of left of the time creates for itself a “working” branch of Mizrahi, the Hapo' el Hamizrachi, which intend to mix Sionisme, religious practice and ideology of social progress. Hapo' el Hamizrachi thus will create Kibboutz im collectivists and monk (6 in 2005).

During years, the relations between Hapo' el Hamizrachi and Mizrahi will be fluctuating. They took part together in certain elections, but sometimes were presented separated.

In 1956, Hapo' el Hamizrachi and Mizrahi amalgamate to found the Religious National Party, or MAFDAL (according to its Hebraic acronym).

Alliances

All in all, Mizrahi remained combined with the dominant organizations of the Sionisme since its creation.

Until 1933, in fact the general Sionistes dominate the World Organization Zionist, in alliance with Mizrahi.

After 1933, the control world (and Palestinian) of the organization passes to the members of the Labor Party Mapaï, always in alliance with Mizrahi.

For this period, Mizrahi rather has the reputation of a moderated party, as well in the nationalist plan as religious.

Besides in nationalist plan, he plays rather a part of regulator in the years 1950, vis-a-vis a David Ben Gourion sometimes follower in the strong way.

In the religious plan, the party incarnates orthodoxe “modern” in Israel the, open ones on economic and social “modernity”. Ultra-orthodoxe (Haredim), much the more preserving in their way of living, is expressed within the party Agoudat Israel (when they vote).

The rav Kook

Abraham Isaac Kook (1864 - 1935) has immigrant in Palestine in 1904. In 1921, He becomes the first chief rabbi Ashkénaze of the “Jewish National Hearth” in Palestine agent, station lately created. It was a rabbi known for his talmudic competences. In 1924, it creates the Yeshiva Merkaz Harav.

Its acceptance of the station of chief rabbi, par excellence posts “Zionist”, watch his agreement with the principles of the religious Zionism. To its station, it will use of its prestige to reinforce the current religious Zionist within the orthodoxe Judaïsme, in Palestine agent and in the world.

In 1912, orthodoxe the “modern ones” (except the Mizrahi Zionists) and theorthodoxe ones had created together the party Agoudat Israel, very hostile with the Zionism. In 1948, after the creation of Israel, practically all orthodoxe the “modern ones” became more or less favorable to the Sionisme. This evolution is partly the fruit of the events (Shoa, creation of Israel), but it is also for a good portion due to the engagement and the prestige of the rav Kook.

It is however to note that the attitude of the rav Kook with regard to Mizrahi in particular and of the Zionism in general is not free from criticisms. The rav Kook was particularly anxious influence of the laic Jews on the future of the Judaism, and doubted the capacity of Mizrahi to answer it.

Beyond its capacity to legitimate the Zionism within an orthodoxe Judaism with the very reticent departure, the rav Kook also will direct the ideology of the religious Zionism in a Messianic direction. For the rav Kook, the redemption of the Jewish people is moving, and the Zionists, even atheistic, are carrying bits of this redemption, sometimes with their defending body. It is the reconstitution of an autonomous Jewish life in Palestine which allows and announces the return of the Jews of their exile, then their return to the religious practice, and in the long term the arrival of the Messie. The Zionism is thus a tool in the diagram of God for the advent of Messianic times.

The influence of the rav Kook on the development of the religious Zionism is quadruple:

It reinforced adhesion with the Zionism in the orthodoxe Jewish currents (but not at the ultra-orthodoxe Haredim).
It directed it in a Messianic direction, posing the return of the Messiah like consequence of the Zionism.
It bound the ground of Israel and the safety religious (and not only national) of the Jewish people.
By the two last evolutions, it posed the ideological bases of the later evolution and ultra-nationalist of a large fraction of the religious Zionism, even if itself is not directly responsible for this interpretation.

Consequences of the war of 1967

In 1967, the state of Israel gains the Guerre the six day old against the Egypt, the Syria and the Jordan, with surprised of much. The relief and enthusiasm are with the measurement of the fear which had preceded the war. In this euphoric environment, the religious Zionism started to evolve/move.

On the right on the left, the whole of the parties Zionists considered that all the Palestine (Eretz Israel) was of right the property of the Jewish people.

Quickly, the left Zionist indicated that she wished to annex the Palestinian steps or little populated territories Arabic (plan of Ygal Allon in 1968, who asserts 30% of the Palestinian territories), but that for reasons of demographic balance, she intended to restore the populated zones, within the framework of an peace agreement.

The laic line (Hérout) then its successor, the Likoud, indicated that all was to be preserved, because it was the right of the Jewish people, but also its sedentary interest.

The religious Zionists have to be defined compared to these two tendencies. Initially, the Religious National Party (PNR) remained faithful to traditional alliance with the Labor , and this until in 1977. In practice, the direction of the party accepted the Labor position.

But very quickly a faction, called “of the young people appeared”, which interpreted the lesson of the rav Kook as meaning that the redemption was close, and that the victory in the war of 1967 was a bright sign of the divine will. So that the redemption occurs and that the Messiah comes on ground, it is all the Holy Land, including the Palestinian territories, which was to be judaïsée. The Jews were to settle everywhere. Contrary to the laic right-hand side, the faction of the young people did not consider that the conservation of all the Holy Land (Large Israel) was only one right, it considered that it was also a divine obligation. At this stage, the divergences with the line are not significant. It will be necessary to await the beginning of the year 2000 so that this divergence between large Israel like interest or as obligation is felt.

Organizations extra-members of Parliament and scissions

Minority within the party, the faction of the young people, particularly influenced by the son of the rav Kook, started to be organized outside the party. It was a question on the one hand of making pressure on this one, and other share to be able to act freely on the ground of colonization.

In 1974 is thus founded the Goush Emounim (block of the faith). The block has several characteristics:

In the religious plan, its members or sympathizers tend to have practices more strict than those of other orthodoxe the “modern ones”. The number of the children of the religious nationalist families which settle in the colonies is thus substantially more important than the number of the children of the other orthodoxe families “modern”.
In the nationalist plan, Goush is also very radical, in favor of Large Israel without concession, and thus in favor of an alliance with the Likoud against the Labor left.
Goush does not take part in the elections: its goal is to establish colonies Zionists nuns through all the occupied territories, and this with or without the agreement of the government. Until 1974, the colonies installed by the worker government in the areas which it wished to annex it had been within the framework of government decisions. As from 1974, it will exist (until today) an “official” colonization, organized by the government, and a “semi-official” colonization range by organizations Zionists nuns (Goush or its descendants). Tens of illegal colonies (even according to the Israeli law) will be thus installed. The successive governments will almost always end up officializing them, once the Jewish population become rather important.

In 1977, the work of propaganda and action on the ground pays: the PNR adopts Likoud, and gives an opinion in favor of large Israel. Certain more moderate tendencies continue to be expressed there, but the PNR ended up being regarded as the spokesperson of the colonists (what is abusive besides, because the majority of the colonists are not a monk). Certain political economists even now classify it like party of extreme-right-hand side, which it disputes. One also noted a hardening of his religious positions. The PNR is however a party which is not directed by a council of co-opted rabbis, contrary to the religious parties not Zionists, like the Agoudat Israel. There is an internal democracy well, even if the role of the rabbis is very important.

If the PNR were the matrix of the religious Zionism, Goush Emounim was the matrix of the religious Zionism extra-member of Parliament: a flowering of small organizations and Yeshivoth (religious schools), very militant, often more radical than the party, autonomous, and taking their actions on the ground. They in general are centered around the religious colonies (but all the colonies are not nuns) occupied Palestinian territories (“released”, for this current), after the war of 1967. It should be noted that these organizations are often directed by rabbis.

Some of these organizations became true scissions of the PNR: they are not satisfied to double it by a militancy of ground, they became for certain political parties presenting itself to the elections, with programs even more radical, and generally without much success. Most known and most radical of these organizations is undoubtedly the Kach, of the rabbi Meir Kahane (or Kahana), assassinated in 1990, and whose organization was prohibited by the Israéliennes authorities for racism. It had succeeded in obtaining an elected official with the Knesset in the years 1980.

The electoral crisis

Like shows it the " part; électoraux" results; below, the posterior period with 1977 is marked by a clear decrease of the electoral results of the Religious National Party. Two phenomena seem to play.

There is initially a slow but regular fall number of orthodoxe " modernes" (strict religious practice, but immersion in the modern world) in Israel, which is the electoral reserve of the religious Zionism. Public religious (ultra-orthodoxe and orthodoxe " modernes") is rather stable since decades, around 20% of the Israeli Jews. But the power struggles evolve/move in favor of the haredim. However, those do not vote or little for the parties Zionists, monk or not.

In addition, the electoral behavior of orthodoxe the " modernes" (which is often influenced by the ideology " Zionist religieuse") split up. Until 1977, they voted very mainly for the PNR. This one, center, was a little catch-all tendencies Zionists nuns.

After 1977, the situation changes:

the Likoud is now the hegemonic party of the nationalist right and the partisans of large Israel. One thus sees appearing a tendency Zionist nun in Likoud and this one now collects part of this electorate.
One saw that radical groups appear in margin of the party. Those which present to the elections take him certain voices Kach, Moledet,…
One noted a religious hardening of certain orthodoxe fringes “modern”, which are influenced by the Haredim. One of the consequences of this phenomenon is that certain voters religious Zionists can sometimes vote for the parties haredim like the Agoudat Israel or the Shass. This tendency is restricted but nonnull.
Lastly, certain voters religious Zionists were attached to the long alliance with the left, and did not accept the orientation on the right of the PNR. They then voted for center small parts, even for the left.

With final, the electoral crisis of the PNR does not mean that the religious Zionism is basically in retreat, but rather than it is not incarnated any more in one sole party.

For the elections of March 2006, the PNR decided to go on the right still a little further: it was presented within the electoral coalition " National union " , which gathers the religious Zionists and the laic ones on the right of the Israeli political chessboard.

Religious Zionism and democracy

Contrary to ultra-orthodoxe (Haredim) which criticizes the democracy, the religious Zionists have it perfectly allowed. One however notes an evolution in the radical margins of this current.

In front of the rise of Arab demography (Arabic became more numerous than the Jews in 2005 in Eretz Israel (Israel + Palestinian Territoires), at least according to certain estimates, certain rabbis Zionist-monk indicated that large Israel could not give the right to vote with Arabic: between a Jewish State and a democratic State, it is the Jewish State which was to pass in first. The solution of the withdrawal of the most populated Arab zones (solution to which even the nationalist right ended up adopting the beginning of the year 2000, although with great divergences between tendencies on the ideal borders) is not possible taking into account the divine will.

The Kach went further: like the haredim, its position is that the democracy is a Western principle which does not concern the Jews and is not in conformity with the Halakha (religious law).

The temptation of violence

Colonization is a divine obligation. But is violence against the adversaries of God possible? The Bible includes/understands passages where God ordered wars, and helped the Jews to gain them. Violence can thus be used, even against of the Jews, with less for some Rabbin S of the current religious Zionist (but not for the majority).

With the beginning of the year 1980, an small group of religious Zionists thus made attacks against Arabic, before being stopped. In 1994, Baruch Goldstein, a colonist religious Zionist of Hebron (one of the hardest colonies) assassinated 30 Palestinians. In 1995, another radical religious Zionist assassinated the 1st minister Yitzhak Rabin, culprit to have signed the Accords of Oslo with PLO.

During the withdrawal of the colonies of the Gaza Strip, in 2005, the religious Zionists however refused to take to the weapons against other Jews, and their opposition remained relatively peaceful, at least without recourse to the weapons. Certain rabbis (not inevitably representative) however organized prayers for the death of the Israeli leaders who them " trahissaient".

Today (in 2006), the passage to violence remains condemned by the large one of the religious nationalist current. But the spectrum of the dismantling of Israeli Colonies in the West Bank planes, and certain radicals (for the moment very minority) estimate that the will of God must take precedence over that of the men, whatever is the price.

Racist temptation

The religious Zionists are not carrying historically a racist ideology.

One notes however, in the above mentioned radical mediums the development of a vocabulary very violent anti-Arabic, proposer to off-set all Arabic out of Eretz Israel (the “transfer”, in the Israeli political vocabulary), or to deprive them of any right to vote, even purely and simply to kill them.

This type of attitudes is condemned by the leaders of the PNR. But one notes in the Israeli surveys that electorate PNR is one of more anti-Arabic of the country.

Christian Zionism

The Jewish religious Zionism found dice the beginning of allied privileged in Europe and today in the United States within an other running religious fundamentalist and Messianic, the current known as “Christian Zionist”.

As of the XIXe century, it engages, of the years before the Jewish Zionists, for the creation of a Jewish State in Palestine. The partisans of this current are certainly moved by the sufferings by the Jewish people and protest against the Christian antijudaïsme, but they especially see in this future State the reinstauration of old Israel announced by biblical prophecies. A British politician as Lord Balfour (his declaration of 1917 envisages the establishment of a Jewish national hearth in Palestine) belonged to this Protestant current.

This current has a very important common point with the Jewish religious Zionism, at least in its Messianic slope: for holding of this school, the judaisation of the Holy Land is also a condition with the return of the Messiah on ground.

There is however an important difference: the Messiah will not be in responsibility of ensure the triumph of the Jewish religion. The Messiah will be Christ, and it will ensure the triumph of Christianity, including at the Jews, which will convert.

In spite of this important divergence on the long-term objectives, the current “Zionist Christian” and the current “Zionist religious” Jewish have a common objective: the Israeli colonization of the Palestinian territories. One like the other strongly criticized the Israeli withdrawal of the Gaza Strip, as shows it the declarations of Pasteur Pat Robertson.

Alliance with the current “Zionist Christian” was important for the partisans of colonization: it is current influential within the “Christian line” American, and its capacity to influence the Republican party is real. The American preserving current Christian evangelic would gather some 40 million faithful.

Electoral results

Source: the site of Knesset.

In 1951: the 8,3% obtained are distributed between 6,8% for Hapo' el Hamizrachi and 1,5% for Mizrachi. Those were presented separately. It is seen that the current orientation on the right was not always dominant.

From 1977 (come to power of Likoud), one notes an electoral fall: part of the electorate passes to Likoud, with the extreme-right-hand side, to see on the left.

(*) In 2006, the party arised in alliance on a list " Nationale" union; , commune with the extreme line. The list obtained 7,1% of the votes, and 9 seats.

Synthesis

The current religious Zionist is one of the currents founders of the Zionism. It is current which always remained minority, never not passing the 10% with the general elections.

Originally very moderate, carrying the interests of the preserving and religious middle-classes Ashkenazim, it has after the war of 1967, and especially after 1977, advanced towards a religious ultra-nationalism which now makes fear with many Israelis, but who also knew to fill with enthusiasm others of them. Its activism in the Israeli Colonies forced the Israeli political debate has to turn for a good portion around its ideas.

Progressively of its toughening, it also split up. Around the PNR (nationalist right party but legalist), exist now of many groups, Yeshivoth or rabbis, of which some very radical (though very minority).

For the elections of March 2006, the PNR was presented within the electoral coalition " National union " , which gathers the religious Zionists and the laymen on the right of the Israeli political chessboard.

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