United Religious Front

The United Religious Front (Hebrew: חזית דתית מאוחדת‎, Hazit Datit Meuhedet) was a political alliance of the four major religious parties in Israel, as well as the Union of Religious Independents, formed to fight the 1949 elections.

History

The United Religious Front was formed as an alliance of all four major religious parties (Mizrachi, Hapoel HaMizrachi, Agudat Yisrael and Poalei Agudat Yisrael), as well as the Union of Religious Independents, in order to run for the 1949 election, the first after independence.

In the elections the list won 16 seats, making it the third largest in the Knesset. The initial allocation of seats between the parties saw Hapoel HaMizrachi take seven seats, Mizrachi take four, Poalei Agudat Yisrael three and Agudat Yisrael two. It joined David Ben-Gurion's Mapai party in forming the coalition of the first government of Israel, alongside the Progressive Party, the Sephardim and Oriental Communities and the Democratic List of Nazareth.

However, the grouping created problems in the governing coalition due to its differing attitude to education in the new immigrant camps and the religious education system. They also demanded that Ben-Gurion close the Supply and Rationing Ministry and appoint a businessman as Minister for Trade and Industry. As a result, Ben-Gurion resigned on 15 October 1950.

After the differences were resolved, Ben Gurion formed the second government on 1 November 1950, with the United Religious Front retaining their place in the coalition.

After elections were called for the second Knesset in 1951, the grouping disbanded into its individual parties who fought the election separately.

Knesset members

External links

• Party history Knesset website

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