Factional and Government Make-Up of the Fifth Knesset

The Knesset History

The Main Events and Issues During the Fifth Knesset

Prime Minister David Ben Gurion and Foreign Minister Goda Meir, 1.11.1962.

MK Moshe Sneh of Maki speaking to the plenum, 4.9.1961.

The 5th Knesset: Herut leader Menachem Begin, speaking to the plenum 2.11.1961.

The 5th Knesset: MKs from the Liberal Party, 2.11.1961.

Select a Knesset:

Factional and Government Make-Up of the Fifth Knesset

Elected on 15 August, 1961.
Speaker: Kadish Luz;
Deputy Speakers: Yisrael Barzilai (until 22.11.65), Arie Ben-Eliezer, Aharon Ya'acov Greenberg (until 2.4.63), Beba Idelson, Nahum Nir, Hanan Rubin (until 29.1.63), Tova Sanhedrai (until 22.11.65), Joseph Selin, Yisrael Yeshayahu-Shar'abi;
Secretary General: Moshe Rosetti

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

Mapai 34.7 42 34

Herut Movement ¹ 13.8 17 0

Liberal Party ² 13.6 17 0

National Religious Party 9.8 12 12

Mapam 7.5 9 9

Ahdut Ha'avoda 6.6 8 8

Maki ³ 4.2 5 3

Agudat Yisrael 3.7 4 4

Po'alei Agudat Yisrael 1.9 2 2

Shituf Ve'ahva ⁴ 1.9 2 2

Kidma Vepituah ⁴ 1.6 2 2

Gahal - 0 27

Rafi - 0 8

Independent Liberals - 0 7

Rakah - 0 2

¹ United with 10 members of the Liberal Party, forming Gahal.
² 10 members formed Gahal with the Herut Movement, the other 7 formed the Independent Liberals.
³ Two members split and formed Rakah.
⁴ Arab minorities lists associated with Mapai.

The tenth government was formed by David Ben Gurion, on 2 November, 1961.
The coalition members were: Mapai, National Religious Party, Ahdut Ha'avoda, Po'alei Agudat Yisrael and the minority lists. The number of ministers when the government was formed - 15. The Prime Minister resigned on 16 June, 1963, for "personal reasons". In fact he felt that he did not enjoy sufficient support from his colleagues.

The eleventh government was formed by Levi Eshkol on 26 June, 1963.
The coalition members were as in the tenth government. The number of ministers when the government was formed - 16. The government resigned on 15 December 1964, as a result of Ben Gurion's demand that the Lavon Affair be investigated by a Commission of Inquiry made-up of members of the Supreme Court.

The twelfth government was formed by Levy Eshkol on 22 December, 1964.
The coalition members were as in the tenth government. The number of ministers when the government was formed - 16.