Tekuma

(Renewal)

   A small right-wing political faction that broke away from the National Religious Party (NRP) prior to the 17 May 1999 election. It was founded by two former NRP Knesset members, Hanan Porat and Zvi Handel, both of whom criticized the NRP for not quitting the government of Benjamin Netanyahu to protest the agreements to cede territory in Hebron and elsewhere in the West Bank. Tekuma's policy platform expressed strong support for Jewish settlers and firm opposition to further territorial concessions to Israel's Arab negotiating partners. It joined with New Herut and Moledet to form the National Union-Israel Beiteinu Party that won four seats in the 15th Knesset (1999) and seven seats in the 16th Knesset (2003).

   See also Political parties.