This poster was published by the Mafdal or National Religious Party (NRP) before the 2003 elections in Israel. The poster, printed in both red and dark purple, states very clearly that the NRP intends to fight against the formation of a Palestinian state. In big letters the poster states that “a Palestinian State will not be established and will not exist,” conveying the message that this is not negotiable. The poster goes on to explain that “Sharon and Mitzna are on the way to creating such a state,” referring to Ariel Sharon, the leader of the Likud party and Amram Mitzna, the leader of the Labour party. The poster states that only a strong NRP will be able to fight against the creation of a Palestinian state, a strong line in their election campaign, which focused on the ambiguity of the two main parties, Likud and Labour.
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2003 Israeli Elections – The elections for the 16th Knesset were held on January 28, 2003. These elections were only for the parliament, since according to the law at that time, Ariel Sharon would remain prime minister. The elections were held in the shadow of a deteriorating security situation with the Second Intifada and Operation Defensive Shield. Many also believe that Sharon decided to hold the elections in order to strengthen his political power that had diminished due to investigations of corruption against him. One of the main issues of the election campaign was the protest against the exemption of Haredi men from compulsory military service. The result of the elections gave the Likud a large increase of votes, less seats for the Labour Party, and an increase of nine seats to Shinui, which became the third largest party in the Knesset.
Mafdal, the National Religious Party (NRP) – The NRP was founded in 1956. From its formation until 1967, its main concern was the relationship between religion and state. During this period, the NRP often aligned with Mapai. After the Six-Day War in 1967, the NRP took a more right-wing position, which included advocating for “Greater Israel,” i.e., a Jewish state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea and a unified Jerusalem. The NRP disbanded in 2008 and ran in the 2009 elections under the name Habayit Hayehudi (the Jewish Home).
Ariel Sharon – Ariel Sharon was born in Israel in 1928 in Kfar Malal. Sharon joined the Haganah as a young man and later the IDF, where he held many different posts including establishing and commanding the elite unit 101. Sharon led IDF units in the War of Independence, Six-Day War, the War of Attrition, and the Yom Kippur War and was considered a brilliant yet non-conformist field commander. After his retirement from the IDF, he joined the Likud and served in various ministerial posts. Sharon was the Minister of Defence during the First Lebanese War in 1982. He resigned from this post due to his responsibility for the massacre in the Sabra and Shatila, where Christian Phalange fighters killed Palestinian civilians in the IDF-controlled refugee camps. In 2000, Sharon became the leader of the Likud and served as prime minister from 2001–2006. In 2005, he resigned as leader of the Likud and founded a new centralist party called Kadima. Having previously strongly supported the settlements in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Sharon implemented the unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005, sparking immense protests and rifts among the Israeli public. During his years in power, Sharon was also investigated for alleged financial scandals. In 2006, Sharon suffered a serious stroke and died in 2014 after many years in a vegetative state.
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.
