Editing Moledet (section)

==History==
Moledet was established by [[Rehavam Ze'evi]] in 1988.<ref>[http://en.idi.org.il/tools-and-data/israeli-elections-and-parties/political-parties/moledet/ Moledet] Israel Democracy Institute</ref> It won two seats in the [[1988 Israeli legislative election|Knesset elections]] later that year, taken by Ze'evi and [[Yair Sprinzak]]. It joined [[Yitzhak Shamir]]'s [[Twenty-fourth government of Israel|government]] in February 1991 and Ze'evi was appointed Minister without Portfolio. However, he resigned from the cabinet on 21 January the following year.<ref>[https://www.knesset.gov.il/govt/eng/GovtByNumber_eng.asp?govt=24 Twelfth Knesset: Government 24] Knesset</ref> In the [[1992 Israeli legislative election|1992 elections]], the party won three seats, with [[Yosef Ba-Gad]] and [[Shaul Gutman]] joining Ze'evi in the Knesset. However, Gutman left the party to establish [[Yamin Yisrael]] on 27 July 1995, whilst Ba-Gad left to sit as an independent on 12 March 1996.<ref name=MS>[https://www.knesset.gov.il/faction/eng/FactionHistoryAll_eng.asp Mergers and Splits Among Parliamentary Groups] Knesset</ref>

The party won two seats in the [[1996 Israeli general election|1996 elections]], taken by Ze'evi and [[Binyamin Elon]], and supported [[Benjamin Netanyahu]]'s [[Twenty-seventh government of Israel|government]], although it did not join it. On 4 March 1999, the party gained a third MK when [[Moshe Peled (politician)|Moshe Peled]] left [[Tzomet]] to found [[Mehora]], which he immediately merged into Moledet.<ref name=MS/> Prior to the [[1999 Israeli general election|1999 elections]], the party joined the [[National Union (Israel)|National Union]] alliance alongside [[Herut – The National Movement]] and [[Tkuma (political party)|Tkuma]]. The Union won four seats, with two taken by Moledet members Elon and Ze'evi. The alliance joined the [[Twenty-ninth government of Israel|government]] formed by [[Ariel Sharon]] on 7 March 2001 after he won the [[2001 Israeli prime ministerial election|election for Prime Minister]], and Ze'evi was appointed Minister of Tourism. However, he was assassinated by the [[Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine|Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)]] on 17 October 2001, and his seat taken by [[Uri Ariel]] of Tkuma. Elon was elected party leader and assumed Ze'evi's place in the cabinet until 14 March 2002.

Prior to the [[2006 Israeli legislative election|2006 elections]], the National Union formed an alliance with the [[National Religious Party]], which went on to win nine seats; Moledet again held two seats, taken by Elon and Eldad. On 3 November 2008 the party announced a merger with other members of the National Union, the National Religious Party and Tkuma to form a new right-wing party,<ref name=meranda >{{Cite news | last = Meranda | first = Amnon | title = Right-wing parties unite | website = Ynetnews | date= 3 November 2015 | url = http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3617027,00.html | access-date = 3 November 2008 }}</ref> later named [[the Jewish Home]]. However, the Jewish Home excluded ex-Moledet members from the top slots of the candidate list for the [[2009 Israeli legislative election|2009 elections]]. Moledet then rejected the merger and joined the revived National Union. Although the Union won four seats, the highest place Moledet candidate was fifth-placed Uri Bank, who failed to enter the Knesset.

In the lead up to the [[2013 Israeli legislative election|2013 elections]], Tkuma merged with the Jewish Home. Bank supported the merger and allowed Tkuma to continue using the letter 'Tet' on the ballot.<ref name=2013Elections>{{Cite news |date=8 November 2012 |title = Moledet Strengthens Unity in Religious Camp |website=Israel National News |access-date = 4 December 2012 |url = http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/161884}}</ref>