HaLikud

Likud is one of Israel’s central governing parties, identified with the nationalist right, market-oriented economics, and a strong emphasis on security and Jewish sovereignty.

History and ideology

HaLikud, usually called Likud, emerged in 1973 as an electoral bloc and was formally established as a party in 1988. Its roots lie in the Revisionist Zionist tradition associated with Ze’ev Jabotinsky, which favored Jewish self-determination, a strong military posture, and opposition to territorial concessions seen as risky for national security. The immediate political vehicle for Likud was a coalition of right-wing and liberal currents led by Menachem Begin, including Herut, the Liberal Party, and other smaller factions.

Its breakthrough came in the 1977 “Mahapakh” (“upheaval”), when Begin led Likud to power for the first time, ending decades of Labor dominance. That moment reshaped Israeli politics by making the right a durable governing force rather than an opposition bloc. Since then, Likud has alternated between government and opposition but has remained one of the two dominant pillars of Israel’s party system, especially since the fragmentation of the traditional left.

Ideologically, Likud sits on the center-right to right of the Israeli spectrum. Its core pillars are:

• National security and deterrence: prioritising military strength, counterterrorism, and strategic depth.
• Jewish and Zionist nationalism: affirming Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
• Territorial caution: skepticism toward large-scale unilateral withdrawals and deep reservations about a sovereign Palestinian state if perceived as a security threat.
• Economic liberalism: support for privatization, competition, lower regulation, and a business-friendly climate.
• Institutional pragmatism: despite nationalist rhetoric, Likud leaders have at times made significant diplomatic concessions when strategic or domestic conditions favored them.

The party’s ideology is often described as Zionist liberal-conservative right because it combines nationalism and security hawkishness with free-market economics and a pragmatic streak on governance.

Objective achievements and contributions

Likud has had a major impact on Israel’s political, economic, and diplomatic trajectory. Its record includes:

• Political opening of Israeli democracy: Begin’s 1977 victory proved that power could change hands democratically from Labor to the right, broadening Israel’s competitive party system.
• Peace treaty with Egypt: Under Begin, Israel signed the 1979 Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty, the first peace agreement between Israel and an Arab state. This led to the return of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt and a strategic realignment of Israel’s southern border.
• Strengthening of legal and political institutions: Likud governments operated within and generally respected parliamentary competition, coalition bargaining, and the judiciary, even amid intense political conflict.
• Economic reforms: Likud has repeatedly championed market liberalization. The 1985 Economic Stabilization Plan was initiated under a national unity government in which Likud participated, helping curb severe inflation. Later Likud-led governments advanced privatization, deregulation, and greater openness to global markets.
• Absorption of immigrants: During the massive immigration from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s and 2000s, Likud-led coalitions helped manage integration through housing, labor-market adaptation, and state planning measures.
• Security management during crises: Likud governments have led Israel through major waves of terrorism, wars in Lebanon and Gaza, and repeated regional instability. Their approach consistently emphasized military readiness, intelligence, and deterrence.
• Jerusalem and state-symbol policy: Likud has strongly advanced the view of Jerusalem as Israel’s united capital, shaping both domestic policy and Israel’s international diplomatic posture.
• Normalisation diplomacy: Under Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud governments were central to the Abraham Accords (2020), normalizing relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, a significant diplomatic achievement in the Arab world.
• Governance continuity: In a fragmented party system, Likud has often served as the principal organizational anchor of the Israeli right, enabling coalition formation and policy continuity across elections.

At the same time, objective assessment must note that Likud’s long tenure is also associated with deepening polarization, expansion of settlement policies, recurring coalition instability, and sustained controversy over judicial reform, corruption cases involving senior figures, and the party’s handling of security crises.

Outlook

Likud remains likely to be a dominant actor in Israeli politics, but its future depends heavily on leadership, coalition arithmetic, and public trust. In the short term, the party’s strengths are its broad right-wing base, its strong brand in security politics, and its ability to unite religious, nationalist, and economically conservative voters. Its vulnerabilities are equally clear: overreliance on a small number of senior personalities, internal factional tensions, demographic change, and the challenge of balancing secular-liberal voters with more nationalist and religious partners.

In the medium term, Likud will probably continue to shape the rightward center of gravity in Israeli politics. If it remains under a Netanyahu-era influence or its post-Netanyahu succession is weak, internal disputes may intensify. If it refreshes its leadership and broadens its appeal, it could continue as Israel’s principal governing party for the next political cycle. Its strategic dilemma is whether to remain a broad pragmatic nationalist party or move further toward hardline identity politics, which could strengthen ideological loyalists while narrowing coalition flexibility.

Frequently asked questions

Is HaLikud left-wing or right-wing? HaLikud is right-wing, specifically the main nationalist right-wing party in Israel.

What ideology does HaLikud have? It follows a Zionist liberal-conservative right ideology, combining nationalism, security hawkishness, and market-oriented economics.

What does HaLikud stand for? HaLikud stands for a strong Jewish state, national security, skepticism toward territorial withdrawals, economic liberalism, and Israeli sovereignty over key national interests.

Who founded Likud? Likud was built around Menachem Begin and the Revisionist Zionist tradition, with the bloc formed in 1973 and the party formalized in 1988.

Has Likud supported peace agreements? Yes. Its most important example is the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt under Begin, and it also backed the Abraham Accords under Netanyahu.

What is Likud’s position on the Palestinian question? Likud generally favors security-first policies and is skeptical of a fully sovereign Palestinian state if it is seen as threatening Israel’s security.