Editing Menachem Begin (section)

===1977 electoral victory===
[[File:Menachem Begin 1978.jpg|thumb|Menachem Begin in 1978]]

{{Main|1977 Israeli legislative election}}
On 17 May 1977, the Likud, headed by Begin, won the [[1977 Israeli legislative election|Knesset elections]] by a landslide, becoming the biggest party in the [[Knesset]]. Popularly known as the ''Mahapakh'' ("upheaval"), the election results had seismic ramifications as for the first time in Israeli history a party other than the Alignment/Mapai was in a position to form a government, effectively ending the left's hitherto unrivalled domination over Israeli politics. Likud's electoral victory signified a fundamental restructuring of Israeli society in which the founding socialist Ashkenazi elite was being replaced by a coalition representing marginalized [[Mizrahi Jews|Mizrahi]] and Jewish-religious communities, promoting a socially conservative and [[economic liberalism|economically liberal]] agenda.

[[File:Menachem Begin and Moshe Dayan exits from an aircraft.JPEG|thumb|left|upright|Begin and [[Moshe Dayan]] exit from an aircraft at [[Andrews Air Force Base]], [[Maryland]], United States]]
The Likud campaign leading up to the election centered on Begin's personality. Demonized by the Alignment as [[totalitarian]] and extremist, his self-portrayal as a humble and pious leader struck a chord with many who felt abandoned by the ruling party's ideology. In the predominantly [[Mizrahi Jews|Mizrahi]] working class urban neighborhoods and peripheral towns, the Likud won overwhelming majorities, while disillusionment with the Alignment's corruption prompted many middle and upper class voters to support the newly founded [[centrism|centrist]] [[Democratic Movement for Change]] ("Dash") headed by [[Yigael Yadin]]. Dash won 15 seats out of 120, largely at the expense of the Alignment, which was led by [[Shimon Peres]] and had shrunk from 51 to 32 seats. Well aware of his momentous achievement and employing his trademark sense for drama, when speaking that night in the Likud headquarters Begin quoted from the [[Gettysburg Address]] and the [[Torah]], referring to his victory as a 'turning point in the history of the Jewish people'.

With 43 seats, the Likud still required the support of other parties in order to reach a parliamentary majority that would enable it to form a government under [[Politics of Israel|Israel's proportionate representation parliamentary system]]. Though able to form a narrow coalition with smaller Jewish religious and [[Haredi Judaism|ultra-orthodox]] parties, Begin also sought support from centrist elements in the Knesset to provide his government with greater public legitimacy. He controversially offered the foreign affairs portfolio to [[Moshe Dayan]], a former [[Ramatkal|IDF Chief of Staff]] and [[Defense Minister of Israel|Defense Minister]], and a prominent Alignment politician identified with the old establishment. Dash eventually joined his government several months later, thus providing it with the broad support of almost two thirds of the Knesset. While prime ministerial adviser, [[Yehuda Avner]], served as Begin's speech writer.

On 19 June 1977, Likud signed a coalition agreement with the [[National Religious Party]] (which held twelve seats) and the [[Agudat Yisrael]] party. Without defections, the coalition of Likud and these two parties created the narrowest-possible majority in a full Knesset (61 seats).<ref>{{cite web |title=Israel forms coalition |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/224909931 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Orlando Sentinel |agency=Washington Post Dispatch |access-date=26 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=20 June 1977}}</ref> After eight hours of debate, Begin's government was officially approved in a Knesset vote on 21 June 1977, making him the new [[prime minister of Israel]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Begin Takes Israeli Post |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/39041837 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Times (San Mateo, California) |agency=The Associated Press |access-date=26 May 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=21 June 1977}}</ref>