OVERVIEW

The Herut National Movement advocates the ideas of Jewish Reunification and Undivided Israel as promised to our forefathers - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Herut views the Land of Israel as the sovereign homeland of the Jewish Nation with united Jerusalem as its eternal capital.

The Herut movement supports doing everything possible to increase the Jewish presence in every part of Jerusalem and to fully develop its Jewish social, spiritual and economic infrastructures.

Herut strives to gain open access to the Temple Mount, and to ensure that all Jews are free to visit and pray there and at all of our holy places and national historical landmarks.

Herut wants to amend present regulations for obtaining Israeli citizenship, which currently allows individuals to obtain citizenship without declaring an oath of loyalty to Israel as a Jewish State.

Herut will push to increase the amount of programs designed to support Aliyah, making absorption funds accessible and equal to all Jews regardless of the economic status of their country of origin. This will be funded by allocating financial resources from savings resulting from a reduction of expenditures now spent on non-Jews entering Israel from of the former Soviet Union. We also need to provide more assistance to Diaspora Jews to prevent assimilation, to increase levels of repatriation, and to rejuvenate relations with Israeli citizens living abroad by allowing them to become absentee voters.

Herut encourages an increase of Jewish family's birth rates by making the Jewish Agency finance loans and educational and cost-of-living assistance. This would be available to young families with large numbers of children headed by Yeshiva students. (We support the priority of Judaic studies and the religious beliefs and practices of our citizens.) Only citizens actively participating in some civic service will be ligible for larger funds.

Herut opposes the practice of Arab family reunification on the Israeli soil, but supports the idea of this taking place in Arab countries.

Herut demands immediate discontinuation of any territorial concessions and compromises with non-Israeli residents of Judea, and Samaria and Gaza - territories that must be fully restored to Israeli jurisdiction.

Herut wants the government to officially abrogate the Oslo, Hebron, and Wye Accords, including:

* Full demilitarization of autonomous areas because of the government's complete failure to provide security and to prevent the terrorism that has taken so many lives and caused so many injuries.

Israeli military and police forces must take full responsibility to provide security to civilian population throughout the country including the areas of Judea, Samaria and Gaza.

RELATIONSHIP WITH NEIGHBORING ARAB COUNTRIES

Herut sees the importance of continued improving relations on the grounds of Peace, tolerance and the will for mutual co-existence derived from the model of "PEACE-IN EXCHANGE FOR PEACE". Israel cannot continue single-handedly to bear the burden of the costs of a war initiated by the Arab countries in 1948.

Egypt
Our movement strives to increase levels of public awareness of current events taking place in Egypt, including potentially dangerous activities by the Egyptian government, such as an increase in purchase levels of quality, American-made mid- and long-range missiles. Herut also calls for Egypt to permanently stop the flow of weapons that cross its border into Gaza where they are used by terrorists to supply the Arab terrorists carrying out the Oslo War. Additionally, Herut calls upon the Egyptian government to cease its anti-Semitic programming on state television and in the government press.

Jordan
There is no question that much of the land presently possessed by Jordan historically belongs to Israel. However, as long as Jordan maintains a good-neighbor policy, we shall do the same. In the case of any military actions initiated and/or supported by the Jordanian government (now or in future) these territories will be permanently returned to Israeli possession and supervision.

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE USA

Herut places a high priority on maintaining close and cooperative relations with the USA. There are many Israeli citizens who have strong bonds with the USA. Our proposed programs are designed to maintain this mutually important relationship, including an increase in Israel's participation in America's war on terrorism.

Herut supports the idea of internal national unity and condemns any type of social/religious segregation that would divide and destabilize the country.

Israel is the homeland of Jewish Nation and a sovereign country.

Israel is a Jewish country before any democratic or any other forms of government, and this fact needs to be institutionalized. Herut condemns any actions undermining the Jewish character of the state of Israel.

Herut supports formalization of the status quo of Shabbat policies, Orthodox conversion procedures and declarations of religion/ethnicity on identification cards.

Herut demands open, secure and immediate access to the Temple Mount, Josephs Tomb, and all other Jewish holy places.

Herut recognizes the primary importance of preserving the religious heritage of the Jewish People, which requires serious and sustained study in Yeshivot. However, those students who are not engaged in such study should perform either military or civilian national service, which should be supplemented by Torah learning.

Herut believes in a free market economy, where healthy competition and a limited bureaucracy will be strong driving forces in successfully developing the Israeli economy.

Herut condemns laws that limit and undermine operations of the private sector.

Herut supports social programs in areas of health care, education and assistance to low-income families.

Herut strives to provide universal access to Jewish education for every citizen and proposes the following disciplines as core studies of every school: Introduction to Judaism, History of the Holocaust, and Military and Civic Duties. We also want to elevate the prestige of the teaching profession.

Access to water has become a national problem.
It is necessary to gain and preserve every access to this resource. Herut also supports regulations resulting in better air quality, agricultural development, and transportation and technology to improve the living conditions of Israeli public.