Tsomet

(Tzomet; Movement for Zionist Revival)

   Founded in November 1987 as a breakaway from Tehiya, it won two seats in the 1988 Knesset election. Led by former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Raphael (Raful) Eitan, the party advocated the retention of much of the West Bank for largely security reasons. Domestically, it called for the strict separation of religion from politics, an end to the practice of granting deferments from military service for students in Orthodox rabbinical institutions, and a return to integrity in governmental affairs. Tsomet joined the Yitzhak Shamir-led narrow coalition in 1990, and it won a surprising eight seats in the 13th Knesset (1992). It ran in the 1996 election for the 14th Knesset as part of a joint "national camp" list alongside Likud and Gesher. Eitan was appointed minister of agriculture and environment and deputy prime minister in the coalition headed by Benjamin Netanyahu. Tsomet failed to cross the threshold for winning seats in the 15th Knesset (1999).

   See also Political parties.