Hatzohar

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Hatzohar (Hebrew: הצה"ר) was a Revisionist Zionist organisation and political party in Mandate Palestine and newly-independent Israel.

[edit] Name

As is the case with many Hebrew-named organisations, Hatzohar is an acronym, standing for HaTZionim HaRevizionistim (Hebrew: הציונים הרוויזיוניסטים), translated as The Revisionist Zionists. Its full name was Brit HaTzionim HaRevizionistim (Hebrew: ברית הציונים הרוויזיוניסטים), Union of Revisionist Zionists. The acronym also has the literal meaning of The Opportunity.

[edit] Background

Hatzohar was founded by Ze'ev Jabotinsky in 1923, along with its youth wing, Betar. The name of Revisionist Zionist stems from the demand by some Zionists for a revision of Chaim Weizmann's policy of appeasement towards the British Government in Palestine. Organisation members were, among other things, instrumental in creating Żydowski Związek Wojskowy, one of two Jewish organisations that organised the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

At the time of Israel's independence in 1948, it was the largest right-wing organisation in the country. However, the founding of Herut by Menachem Begin in the same year dealt it a fatal blow. Although many purists alleged that Begin was out to steal Jabotinsky's mantle and refused to defect from the party, in Israel's first elections Hatzohar won less than 1% of the vote, failing to cross the Knesset's electoral threshold. In contrast Herut won 11.5% of the vote and 14 seats. The party's electoral failure resulted in its disbandment shortly after.