kids encyclopedia robot

Hadash facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts


Quick facts for kids
Hadash
חד״ש
Hebrew name החזית הדמוקרטית לשלום ולשוויון
Arabic name الجبهة الديمقراطية للسلام والمساواة
Leader Ayman Odeh
Founded 15 March 1977 (1977-03-15)
Merger of Rakah
Black Panthers (partial)
Moked (partial)
Other Arab and left-wing groups
Headquarters Haifa, Israel
Nazareth, Israel
Ideology
Political position Left-wing to far-left
National affiliation Joint List (2015–2019; 2020–2022)
Colors Red and Green
Knesset
4 / 120
Election symbol
ו
Dov and friends
Hadash members demonstrating against water privatization in Israel. The speaker is Dov Khenin; Ayman Odeh is standing to his left and Mohammad Barakeh on his right
HRM TLV 071212 10
Hadash members demonstrating for social justice, Tel Aviv 2012. The banner in Hebrew and Arabic states: "The people demand social justice"

Hadash (Hebrew: חד״ש, abbreviation for HaHazit HaDemokratit LeShalom VeLeShivion (Hebrew: הַחֲזִית הַדֶּמוֹקְרָטִית לְשָׁלוֹם וּלְשִׁוְיוֹן, lit.'The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality' and also 'New'; Arabic: الجبهة الديمقراطية للسلام والمساواة, romanized: al-Jabhah ad-Dimuqrāṭiyyah lis-Salām wal-Musāwāt, abbr. الجبهة, 'Aljabha') is a left to far-left political coalition in Israel formed by the Israeli Communist Party and other leftist groups.

Background

The party was formed on 15 March 1977 when the Rakah and Non-Partisans parliamentary group changed its name to Hadash in preparation for the 1977 elections. The non-partisans included some members of the Black Panthers (several others joined the Left Camp of Israel) and other left-wing non-communist groups. Within the Hadash movement, Rakah (which was renamed Maki, a Hebrew acronym for Israeli Communist Party, in 1989) has retained its independent status.

In its first electoral test, Hadash won five seats, an increase of one on Rakah's previous four. However, in the next elections in 1981 the party was reduced to four seats. It maintained its four seats in the 1984 elections, gaining another MK when Mohammed Wattad defected from Mapam in 1988. The 1988 election resulted in another four-seat haul, though the party lost a seat when Charlie Biton broke away to establish Black Panthers as an independent faction on 25 December 1990. The 1992 elections saw the party remain at three seats.

In the 1996 elections the party ran a joint list with Balad. Together they won five seats, but split during the Knesset term, with Hadash reduced to three seats. The 1999 elections saw them maintain three seats, with Barakeh and Issam Makhoul replacing Ahmad Sa'd and Saleh Saleem.

In the 2003 elections Hadash ran on another joint list, this time with Ahmed Tibi's Ta'al. The list won three seats, but again split during the parliamentary session, leaving Hadash with two MKs, Barakeh and Makhoul.

In the 2006 elections Hadash won three seats, with Hana Sweid and Dov Khenin entering the Knesset alongside Barakeh. The party won an additional seat in the 2009 elections, taken by Afu Agbaria.

In January 2015, former Knesset speaker Avraham Burg joined Hadash.

Policies and ideology

Hadash, protest against Lebanon war
Uri Avnery at a Hadash rally against the 2006 Lebanon War.

Hadash is a left-wing party that supports a socialistic economy and workers' rights. It emphasizes Jewish–Arab cooperation, and its leaders were among the first to support a two-state solution. Its voters are principally middle class and secular Arabs, many from the north and Christian communities. It also draws 6,000–10,000 far-left Jewish voters during national elections.

The party supports evacuation of all Israeli settlements, a complete withdrawal by Israel from all territories occupied as a result of the Six-Day War, and the establishment of a Palestinian state in those territories. It also supports the right of return or compensation for Palestinian refugees. In addition to issues of peace and security, Hadash is also known for being active on social and environmental issues. In keeping with socialist ideals, Hadash's environmental platform, led by Maki official Dov Khenin, calls for the nationalization of Israel's gas, mineral, and oil reserves.

Hadash defines itself as a non-Zionist party, originally in keeping with Marxist opposition to nationalism. It calls for recognition of Palestinian Arabs as a national minority within Israel. Hadash has in recent times included elements of Arab nationalism in its platform.

Hadash shifted to a more Arab nationalist appeal after running on a joint list with Ta'al in 2003.

In 2015, Hadash declared its support for international campaigns against companies operating in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Election platform

The party's platform for the 2009 elections consisted of:

  1. Achieving a just, comprehensive, and stable peace: Israeli/Palestinian and Israeli/Arab
  2. Protecting workers' rights and issues
  3. Developing social services: health, education, housing, welfare, culture, and sports
  4. Equality for the Arab population in Israel
  5. Eradicating ethnic discrimination in all fields; defending the concerns of residents of disadvantaged neighborhoods and development towns
  6. Protecting democratic freedoms
  7. Equality between the sexes in all fields
  8. Protecting the environment; environmental justice
  9. Eradicating weapons of mass destruction

Election results

Election Votes % Seats +/– Knesset members
1977 80,118 4.6
5 / 120
Charlie Biton, Avraham Levenbraun (replaced by Hanna Mwais), Tawfik Toubi, Meir Vilner, Tawfiq Ziad
1981 64,918 3.4
4 / 120
Decrease1 Charlie Biton, Tawfik Toubi, Meir Vilner, Tawfiq Ziad
1984 69,815 3.4
4 / 120
Steady Charlie Biton, Tawfik Toubi, Meir Vilner, Tawfiq Ziad, Muhammed Wattad (joined from Mapam)
1988 84,032 3.7
4 / 120
Steady Charlie Biton (left party during Knesset term), Tawfik Toubi (replaced by Tamar Gozansky), Meir Vilner (replaced by Hashem Mahameed), Tawfiq Ziad (replaced by Mohamed Nafa)
1992 62,545 2.4
3 / 120
Decrease1 Tamar Gozansky, Hashem Mahameed, Tawfiq Ziad (replaced by Saleh Saleem)
1996 129,455 4.2
4 / 120
Increase1 Tamar Gozansky, Ahmad Sa'd, Saleh Saleem, Hashem Mahameed
1999 87,022 2.6
3 / 120
Decrease1 Mohammad Barakeh, Tamar Gozansky, Issam Makhoul
2003 93,819 3.0
2 / 120
Decrease1 Mohammad Barakeh, Issam Makhoul
2006 86,092 2.7
3 / 120
Increase1 Mohammad Barakeh, Dov Khenin, Hana Sweid
2009 112,130 3.3
4 / 120
Increase1 Mohammad Barakeh, Dov Khenin, Hana Sweid, Afu Agbaria
2013 113,439 3.0
4 / 120
Steady Mohammad Barakeh, Dov Khenin, Hana Sweid, Afu Agbaria
2015 Part of the Joint List
5 / 120
Increase1 Ayman Odeh, Aida Touma-Suleiman, Dov Khenin, Yousef Jabareen, Abdullah Abu Ma'aruf, Youssef Atauna
April 2019 193,442 4.49
4 / 120
Decrease1 Ayman Odeh, Aida Touma-Suleiman, Ofer Cassif, Yousef Jabareen
September 2019 Part of the Joint List
5 / 120
Increase1 Ayman Odeh, Aida Touma-Suleiman, Ofer Cassif, Yousef Jabareen, Jabar Asatra
2020 Part of the Joint List
5 / 120
Steady Ayman Odeh, Aida Touma-Suleiman, Ofer Cassif, Yousef Jabareen, Jabar Asatra
2021 Part of the Joint List
3 / 120
Decrease2 Ayman Odeh, Aida Touma-Suleiman, Ofer Cassif
2022 178,735 3.75
4 / 120
Increase1 Ayman Odeh, Aida Touma-Suleiman, Ofer Cassif, Youssef Atauna

Leaders

  • Meir Vilner chairman (1976–1992)
  • Tawfiq Ziad chairman (1992–1994)
  • Saleh Saleem chairman (1996–1999)
  • Tawfik Toubi, secretary-general (1989–1993)
  • Mohammad Barakeh, secretary-general (1993–1999), chairman (1999–2015)
  • Ayman Odeh, secretary-general (2006–present), chairman (2015–present)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jadash para niños

kids search engine
Hadash Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.