Laying the Foundations of Legitimacy
The Relationship between the Herut Movement and Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, 1952–1963
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Abstract
The relationship between President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi and the Herut movement is at the core of this article. Tracking their relationship and dividing it into three periods, under the historiography of the Herut Movement, presents the development of their relationship and its contribution to Herut's legitimation. The article presents the legitimation processes of the Herut movement through a broader description of the concept of political legitimacy. By exploring the president's attitude toward Herut, the article presents how they gained political and public legitimacy. In this way, the study expands the literature both on Herut's legitimization processes and on the role of the president in Israel.
Contributor Notes
SHOHAM WECHSLER is a Ph.D. student at the School of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University. His research deals with the Herut Movement and the Likud party in power, also he focuses on the Israeli presidency from a historical perspective at the beginning of the state. His recent publications include “The Right and the Presidency in Israel under Chaim Weizmann, 1948–1952” (Middle Eastern Studies, 2024). E-mail: shohamw1@mail.tau.ac.il