This poster was issued by the Likud party in the run-up to the 1988 elections. The poster, in red and blue, accuses the “bosses” of the Histadrut factories, controlled by the Labour (Alignment) party, of becoming rich off the back of the workers. In order to make the point more striking, the poster opens with the amount $600,000 printed in large, red letters, aiming to shock and anger the ordinary viewer of this poster. The explanation of where the money comes from is in blue. The designer then goes on to use blue for the workers (“you face the danger of unemployment”) as a contrast with the red used for the rich bosses (“they are getting rich at your expense”). Red is usually associated with the left-wing, in particular communism, while blue is the traditional Zionist colour. The use of blue also fits the statement at the bottom of the poster that Likud is “the national party.” A newspaper clip referring to the information about the corruption is included in the poster in order to validate the Likud party’s claim.
This poster addresses the system that was at the basis of the Labour Party’s (Mapai) economic system. Israel’s early socialist ideology created an infrastructure of factories and institutions that were run (sometimes as monopolies) by the Labour party and the Histadrut, the trade union movement. In those early years, individuals could often not get a job or responsibilities in these workplaces unless they voted for the Labour party or had a “red booklet” (the Histadrut membership booklet). One of the main issues in the Likud campaign was the fight against the Labour Party and Histadrut monopolies. Although Labour considered themselves to be the representatives of the working class, Likud succeeded in a number of election campaigns in demonstrating that Labour had lost touch with the ordinary working person.
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1988 Israeli Election – The elections for the 12th Knesset were held on November 1, 1988. The previous government was a unity government with rotation between Yitzhak Shamir and Shimon Peres as prime minister. The government managed to reduce inflation and decrease the Israeli presence in Southern Lebanon, but there were many disagreements between the different parties regarding foreign and security policies, especially with regards to the Intifada that broke out in 1987. The results of the elections had the Likud with one more seat than the Alignment Party and Shamir therefore formed the new government.
Likud – The Likud is a secular, centre-right political party in Israel. Based historically on revisionist ideology, the Likud party was formed in 1973 by Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon as a merger between several right-wing parties: Gachal (itself a merger of Herut and the Liberal party), the Free Centre National List, and the Movement of Greater Israel. After many years in opposition, the Likud won the elections in 1977, the first time that a right-wing party won a majority of the votes. Since then, Likud has formed most of Israel’s governments under Menachem Begin, Itzhak Shamir, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Ariel Sharon. Likud’s ideology is based on the belief that Israel has to maintain a strong military force against its neighbours. Despite its reluctance to negotiate with Arab neighbours that threat Israel’s existence the Likud was in fact the first party to sign a peace treaty with an Arab country: the Israel–Egypt Peace Treaty in 1979. Likewise, Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech in 2009, known as the Bar-Ilan Speech, which endorsed the creation of a Palestinian State alongside Israel. The Likud party emphasises the Jewish right to settle in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), and, formerly, in the Gaza Strip and sees the Jordan River as Israel’s permanent eastern border. With regards to the economy, the Likud supports a free-market capitalist and liberal agenda. The Likud supports preservation of the status quo on issues of religion and state but is associated with a more traditional and nationalist approach to religion and culture in Israel.
Mapai – Mapai (an acronym for Mifleget Poalei Eretz Yisrael—The Workers Party of the Land of Israel) was the dominant political party in Israel until it ceased to exist as an individual party and merged with others to form the Labour party in 1968. Established in 1930, Mapai’s base of support was the Histadrut (Labour Union), the kibbutzim, and the moshavim. Mapai was a socialist-Zionist party and focused on meeting the needs of the working class including health care, employment, youth groups, and sport. David Ben-Gurion was Mapai’s most prominent figure, serving twice as prime minister (1948–1953 and 1955–1963). In later years, additional Mapai leaders held the position of prime minister: Moshe Sharett, Levi Eshkol, and Golda Meir. The party was seriously damaged by the Lavon Affair, a failed undercover operation that brought down the government in 1961. In 1968 Mapai joined with the parties Ahdut HaAvoda and Rafi to form the Labour party and led the Israeli government until Menachem Begin’s Likud party came to power in 1977. Mapai’s election symbol was the Hebrew letter aleph.
Elections in Israel – Israel is a democratic country, and general elections for the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, take place, according to the law, once every four years. The nationwide elections are based on a multi-party, proportional representation system. The legal voting age in Israel is 18, and all Israeli citizens from sectors may vote and be elected. Using voting slips with the initials of the parties, citizens vote for their preferred party and not for individual candidates. The 120 seats in the Knesset are then assigned proportionally to the parties according to the number of votes received. After the elections, the president of Israel chooses the leader of the largest party or of the party that is most likely to form a viable coalition government. This leader then forms a government, the Knesset gives it a vote of confidence, and the leader then becomes prime minister.
