Leader Uri Avnery
Aryeh Eliav Dissolved 1980s Most MKs 2 (1977–1980) | Founded 1970s Political position Left-wing | |
Merger of Independent Socialist Faction, Meri, Moked and some Black Panthers | ||
The Left Camp of Israel (Hebrew: מחנה שמאל לישראל, Makhaneh Smol LeYisrael) was a left-wing political party in Israel. It was also known as Sheli (Hebrew: של"י), an acronym for Peace for Israel (Hebrew: שלום לישראל, Shalom LeYisrael).
Background
The party was formed prior to the 1977 elections by the merger of Meri, Moked, the Independent Socialist Faction and some members of the Black Panthers. It won two seats in the elections, which were held on a rotation basis by five party members; Uri Avnery (previously an MK for Meri), Aryeh Eliav (an MK for the Independent Socialist Faction in the previous Knesset), Meir Pa'il (an ex-Moked MK), Saadia Marciano and Walid Haj Yahia. Other prominent members of Sheli were the former deputy chief of staff of the Israeli army Matti Peled and Ran Cohen, who later served as an MK for Ratz and Meretz and a government minister.
On 11 November 1980, Marciano broke away from the party to form a single-member faction, later renamed Equality in Israel – Panthers. On 19 May 1981 he was joined by former Dash MK, Mordechai Elgrably. The new party was later renamed as the Unity Party.
The party failed to cross the election threshold in the 1981 election and subsequently disappeared, though many former party members joined the Progressive List for Peace.