ABSTRACT
The main argument of this chapter is that two interacting phenomena underlie the political behavior of the religious parties over the past decade: (a) an Israelization process within both the religious Zionist and the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) camps and (b) an ideological affinity between the national camp headed by the Likud party and the religious parties that view themselves as an integral part of the national camp. While Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home), the successor of the Mafdal party (the National Religious Party), views its main mission as influencing national security issues and advancing a conservative agenda in shaping government policy and institutions, the agendas of ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (Yahadut Hatorah) and Shas, target an all-Israeli religious orientation. It would appear that the ultra-Orthodox parties entered the sphere previously the province of religious Zionism, while the latter repositioned itself in a new role on the political map – a party that no longer sees itself as solely representing the national-religious sector. This chapter relates these phenomena to intra-sectorial Israelization trends in each party in its own way and affecting relations between the religious parties and the ruling party. In return, now more than ever, the Likud views the religious and Haredi parties as its natural allies, enabling it to solidify its position as the ruling party.
