Balad facts for kids
Balad is a political party in Israel. Its full name in Hebrew is Brit Le'umit Demokratit, which means "National Democratic Assembly". In Arabic, it's called at-Tajamuʿ al-Waṭanī ad-Dīmūqraṭī, also meaning "National Democratic Assembly". Sometimes, people just call it Tajammua, which means "Country" or "Nation".
Balad was started in 1995.
Contents
What Balad Believes In
Balad has several main ideas that guide its actions.
Social Democracy
Balad believes in social democracy. This means they think the government should help make sure everyone has a fair chance. They support things like good education, healthcare, and social support for all citizens.
Arab Nationalism
The party also believes in Arab nationalism. This means they focus on the rights and identity of Arab people, especially those living in Israel. They want to make sure Arab citizens have equal rights and are treated fairly.
Pan-Arabism
Pan-Arabism is another idea Balad supports. This is the belief that all Arab people, no matter where they live, share a common culture and history. They believe in working together for the good of all Arab nations.
Secularism
Balad is a secular party. This means they believe that government and laws should not be based on religion. They think that religious matters should be separate from how the country is run.
Anti-Zionism
The party is also anti-Zionist. Zionism is the idea that Israel is the homeland for the Jewish people. Being anti-Zionist means Balad does not agree with this idea. They believe Israel should be a state for all its citizens, regardless of their background.
Balad's Leader
The current leader of the Balad party is Mtanes Shehadeh.
Balad in the Knesset
The Knesset is like Israel's parliament, where laws are made. In the 23rd Knesset, Balad had 3 seats.
The Joint List
Balad often works with other political parties. They are part of a group called the Joint List. This group includes parties like Hadash, Ra'am, and Ta'al. By working together, these parties can have more power in the Knesset. In the 23rd Knesset, the Joint List had a total of 15 seats.
Coalition parties:
Likud faction (37: Likud [36], The Jewish Home [1]) ---- Blue and White (15: Israel Resilience Party [15]) ---- Shas (9) ---- United Torah Judaism (7: Agudat Yisrael [4], Degel HaTorah [3]) ---- HaAvoda (3) ---- Derekh Ererz (2) ---- Gesher (1)
Opposition parties:
Yesh Atid-Telem (16: Yesh Atid [13], Telem [3] ---- The Joint List (15: Hadash [5], Ra'am [4], Balad [3], Ta'al [3]) ---- Yisrael Beiteinu (7) ---- Yamina (5: New Right [3], Tkuma [2]) ---- Meretz (3)
