Israel's Odd Couple: The 1984 Knesset Elections and the National Unity Government

Israel's Odd Couple analyzes the unusual 1984 Knesset elections and the unique government that resulted. For the first time in Israel's political history, the Jewish state emerged from an election so close that no major party could form a ruling coalition. The National Unity Government that emerged was based on a coalition that represented the two opposing blocs and three camps of Israeli society. The ten essays assembled here by editors Daniel J. Elazar and Shmuel Sandler describe and analyze these two major events and processes in Israel's electoral and political behavior.

In the first part of the book, five Israeli political scientists and sociologists focus on the main actors and forces that participated in the 1984 elections: Likud, Labor, the religious parties, and the ethnic and Arab votes. Another chapter is dedicated to electoral financing.

The second part of the book explores several aspects of the National Unity Government. In spite of the difficult circumstances surrounding its creation, the National Unity Government, against all expectations, served for the longest period in Israel's political history. At the same time, it was unable to resolve deeply rooted problems and cleavages in the Israeli polity.