Basic Platform Principles for the 2003 Elections
Introduction
The objective of The National Union (Candidates' Bios) is to become a ruling party in association with other parties that share the values and ideology of the national camp, i.e. the realization of Zionist goals, and respect for the heritage and values of the Jewish people.
Security and Political Agreements
The National Union pledges that another political entity will not rise between Jordan and the sea. The funds which were being transferred to the Palestinian Authority by the government, will henceforth be used for reparations for the damage Israel has suffered during the period of terror.
The National Union seeks true peace based on agreement between the parties. Within the framework of any agreement, it is necessary to solve the Palestinian refugee problem-- refugees who have spent the past 55 years in refugee camps. The proposed solution is transfer by agreement (population exchange) by which the refugees would be settled in Arab countries in place of Jews who emigrated to Israel from these countries.
Foreign policy
The main goals of our foreign policy are: maintaining a sovereign Israel within its current borders and achieving peace based on the principle of peace in exchange for peace; deepening Israels ties and cooperation with the Jewish communities around the world; expanding the community of countries that support Israel, and strengthening the commitment of those countries which already support Israel, beginning with the United States and the countries of Europe, without compromising Israels vital interests.
Public Relations
The Israeli Government must fight the propaganda war being waged against it by Islamic terrorists and towards that end manage a professional and comprehensive public relations effort which will deliver a unified message in coordination with the pro Israel organizations worldwide.

Jerusalem
Jerusalem is the undivided eternal capital of the Jewish people in the land of Israel. Therefore, The National Union supports the continuity of settlement of all parts of Jerusalem in order to ensure the unity of the city. This will require transferring all government offices, organizations and public bodies to Jerusalem, ensuring free access to the holy places by every Jew, including the right to ascend, and pray on the Temple Mount.
Settlement (the Negev, Galil, the Golan Heights and development towns)
Settlement of Eretz Israel is the realization of the Zionist dream. It ensures a strong Jewish presence in all of Israel, and encourages a productive and vibrant economy, which is the goal of the social and economic revolution that the State of Israel was intended to bring to the Jewish people.
The National Union appreciates the security, economic, and social benefits of settling Israel, and will create a ministers committee on settlement, which will oversee the founding and expansion of settlements throughout the land of Israel. Settlement and development must be ongoing in the Negev, Judea and Samaria, the Golan Heights, the Galil, and the development towns.
The National Union will emphasize the development of agriculture and the return of Jewish workers to the agricultural sector in combination with tourism and industry. We will assist settlers who have completed IDF service in returning to their homes and communities guarantee the right of Jews to settle in all parts of Eretz Israel.
The National Union will promote the restructuring of geographical jurisdictions, transferring land from the jurisdiction of the local councils to the development towns, and redraw the internal borders between the kibbutzim and the development towns.
The State of Israel belongs to the Jewish people. Recognition of this principle is a prerequisite for any party wishing to join The National Union block. We must ensure the Jewish character of the state by promulgating the Jewish values found in our heritage and history. Notwithstanding the foregoing, The National Union believes in the separation between religion and politics, and a prohibition on politics encroaching on religious values and laws. The National Union will insist that all legislation concerning religious matters require broad public consensus and prohibit coercion of the few by the many.
The National Union believes that IDF service and Torah study are both vital and fundamental aspects of Israeli society. Therefore, it is important to develop and encourage frameworks that join IDF service with Torah study, such as the Hesder Yeshivot and the ultra orthodox Nahal, in order to ensure that the burden of military service is borne equally by all, and the opportunity for Torah study is denied to none..
Government
The National Union believes in the principle of separation of powers, in practice as well as theory. In order to avoid conflict between the different communities, it is imperative to codify the Jewish and Zionist character and democratic principles of the State of Israel in a written constitution which will define basic civil responsibilities and rights.
The Israeli court system is not designed nor equipped to make political or value judgments that are not directly connected to the particular cases before them. It is therefore important to create a separate Constitutional Court that will rule on constitutional matters. The Constitutional Court legislation will define the authority of the current court system, and limit it to civil disputes. This will create a more effective judicial system. In addition, procedures for the appointment of judges and their terms of service will be instated. Finally, legal representation for the needy will be expanded.
The upcoming election is the third election to be held in four years. This instability is a result of our form of government and the structure of the electoral system. There is no need for the country to suffer from unstable governments. The solution is to liberate the national leader from dependence on coalition parties by instituting a presidential system of government for Israel. The national leader would then be directly elected by the people and only they would be able to vote him out of office. The members of the cabinet would be chosen on the basis of professional knowledge of the job which they are appointed to, and not for other considerations. Members of the Knesset will not be able to serve as ministers or as deputy ministers. It is their task to legislate, and provide parliamentary supervision of the government.
Immigration, absorption, and world Jewry
Ongoing immigration is the essence of Zionism, and vital to the existence of the State of Israel. It is important to work in conjunction with world Jewry to promote the education necessary for the preservation of the Jewish character of the State and the reduction of yerida.
There is a need to reform and strengthen absorption programs. More must be done to teach Hebrew, and Jewish culture. Better programs for economic assistance, employment, and housing are needed to relieve the difficulties of absorption, and ease and accelerate the integration of Olim into the employment market.
Education, culture, and sports
Education creates the connection to the land of Israel and to the culture of the Jewish people. It also provides those on the bottom rungs of the economic ladder the opportunities for advancement and a better life. Education is vital to development of excellence and the creation of a moral, just society. Therefore, it is important to encourage qualified professionals to join the ranks of educational institutions, to ease up on beaurocracy and to allocate resources in order to better the education in the development towns and bridge the social gaps. The National Union will work to strengthen excellence in education, and to integrate the values and activities of the youth movements and volunteers into the educational system.
Education, culture, and sports
Education creates the connection to the land of Israel and to the culture of the Jewish people. It also provides those on the bottom rungs of the economic ladder the opportunities for advancement and a better life. Education is vital to development of excellence and the creation of a moral, just society. Therefore, it is important to encourage qualified professionals to join the ranks of educational institutions, to ease up on beaurocracy and to allocate resources in order to better the education in the development towns and bridge the social gaps. The National Union will work to strengthen excellence in education, and to integrate the values and activities of the youth movements and volunteers into the educational system.

Economics
Economic policy must be based on a drastic reduction of the size of government and the public sector, the encouragement of private enterprise, and privatization of government companies and conglomerates.
The government must establish a list of national projects, and legislate a fast track for their implementation that drastically reduces bureaucratic interference. The guiding principles must be to minimize the power of the central bureaucracy, grant greater authority to the local councils, and increase supervision of the budget.
It is important to legislate arbitration based solutions to labor disputes in vital sectors of the economy in order to give stability and security to the day to day activities of our citizens.

Society and Welfare
It is important to support the weaker sectors of the population by providing adequate housing, medical care, social services, and employment to all our citizens. These begin with an adequate minimum wage, viable pensions, and unemployment benefits which protect entrepreneurs as well as employees.
The National Union will continue to support the rehabilitation of neighborhoods, improve education, and the quality of life in the development towns and poor neighborhoods. Those who have served in the IDF deserve special consideration in access to a educational opportunities, and housing and mortgage assistance.
The interest of the State of Israel dictates the reduction of the number of foreign workers and the illegal phenomenon of employment of illegal foreign workers. It is important to encourage Israeli laborers for agriculture and construction in order to minimize unemployment and to ensure reasonable income for the Israeli workforce.

Womens Issues
The National Union stand behind the principle that womens rights must be fully realized in all spheres of life by means of equal opportunity education, childcare benefits, and tax incentives.
It is the duty of the state to protect women and children from physical and mental abuse and sexual harassment, and to ensure their personal security free of the threat of violence.
The National Union will pass Womens Rights legislation designed to give women equality of opportunity for all positions in the marketplace which they aspire to. Economic discrimination against women has been tolerated for too long.

Transportation and Road Safety
It is important to adopt the most advanced road safety standards and to uphold traffic laws in order to put a stop to the death toll resulting from car accidents.
The crowded conditions in certain parts of Israel and environmental considerations mandate prioritizing the use of public transportation, the construction of a train from the Galil to Eilat and the development of additional public transportation in order to encourage its use. It is also important to increase the mobility between different parts of the country.

Israeli Arabs
The Israeli government must clearly mandate that every citizen of Israel will swear loyalty to the flag of Israel, it its national anthem, the Tikvah, and to the laws of the state. Citizenship will be revoked from those implicated in terror acts and those who identify with terrorist organizations. Any movement which takes upon itself a purpose detrimental to the Jewish state and its principles such as the Islamic Movement will be outlawed.

Stemming from the principle that there should be equal distribution of the burdens in order to reach our national goals, national service will be mandated by law and required by all citizens of Israel (including minorities) who dont serve in the army.

Environmental Issues
The National Union considers the environment to be a national priority, and intends to pass a national environmental act to require environmental impact considerations to be addressed at the same time that development, and industrial programs are being considered. The quality of our lives depends on it.