Factional and Government Make-Up of the Third Knesset

The Knesset History

The Main Events and Issues During the Third Knesset

The laying of the cornerstone of the new Knesset building, 14.10.1958.

The Knesset guard of honor, 26.1.1959.

The 3rd Knesset: The stenographers, June 1959.

The changing of guards: Outgoing Prime Minister, Moshe Sharett, chatting with incoming Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion.

Select a Knesset:

Factional and Government Make-Up of the Third Knesset

Elected on 26 July, 1955.
Speaker: Joseph Sprintzak (passed away on 28.1.59), Nahum Nir;
Deputy Speakers: Haim Ari'av, Arie Ben-Eliezer, Shmuel Dayan,
Aharon Ya'acov Greenberg, Beba Idelson, Binyamin Mintz, Hanan Rubin, Yisrael Yeshayahu-Shar'abi;
Secretary General: Moshe Rosetti

Name of List Votes in Percentage Number of Seats Number of Seats Before Next Elections

Mapai 32.2 40 40

Herut Movement 12.6 15 15

General Zionists 10.2 13 13

National Religious Party ¹ 9.1 11 11

Ahdut Ha'avoda 8.2 10 10

Mapam 7.3 9 9

United Torah Front ² 4.7 6 6

Maki 4.5 6 6

Progressive Party 4.4 5 5

Democratic List for Israeli Arabs ³ 1.8 2 2

Kidma Va'avodah ³ 1.5 2 2

Agriculture and Development ³ 1.1 1 1

¹ Elected under the name "National Religious Front".
² Changed its name to Agudat Yisrael - Poalei Agudat Yisrael.
³ Arab minorities lists associated with Mapai.

The seventh government was formed by David Ben Gurion, on 3 November, 1955.
The coalition members were: Mapai, Hamizrahi and Hapo'el Hamizrahi, Mapam, Ahdut Ha'avoda, the Progressive Party and minority lists. The number of ministers when the government was formed - 16. The Prime Minister resigned on 31 December, 1957, against the background of the leaking of information from government meetings.

The eighth government was formed by David Ben Gurion, on 7 January, 1958.
The coalition members were: Mapai, National Religious Party, Mapam, Ahdut Ha'avoda, the Progressive Party and minority lists. The number of ministers when the government was formed - 16. The Prime Minister resigned on 5 July 1959, against the background of the decision of the members of Ahdut Ha'avoda and Mapam to vote against the government on the issue of arms sales to West Germany, and their refusal to resign.