New Way (Israel)

New Way (Hebrew: דרך חדשה, Derech Hadasha) was a short-lived political party in Israel. It emerged during the Ninth Knesset in 1977 as a splinter group from the Alignment. The party was founded by Aryeh Eliav and Mordechai Ben-Porat.

Eliav, who had previously served as Secretary-General of the Labor Party (a major component of the Alignment), left the Alignment due to disagreements with its policies, particularly regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and social inequality. Ben-Porat, a former member of Rafi (another component of the Alignment), joined Eliav in forming New Way.

The party advocated for a more dovish approach to the peace process, emphasizing dialogue and negotiation with Palestinian representatives. They also promoted social and economic reforms aimed at reducing inequality and improving the living standards of disadvantaged populations.

New Way failed to gain significant traction in Israeli politics. In the 1977 elections, it won only two seats in the Knesset. Subsequently, the party dissolved in 1978, with Eliav joining Shelli and Ben-Porat joining Telem. While the party itself was short-lived, its founders continued to be active in Israeli politics, advocating for their respective visions of a more peaceful and just society.