Ometz (political party)

Ometz (Hebrew: אומץ, meaning "Courage") was a short-lived political party in Israel. It was formed on January 20, 2006, by MKs Avraham Hirschson and Haim Ramon, who had defected from Kadima. The party was primarily created to ensure Haim Ramon received a ministerial position in the government, which he was subsequently granted.

Ometz advocated for a strong stance on security issues and a pragmatic approach to socio-economic challenges. While the party platform was not thoroughly defined due to its brief existence, it generally aligned with center-right political ideologies prevalent at the time.

The party contested the 2006 Knesset elections but failed to win any seats, receiving only 13,304 votes, well below the electoral threshold. Consequently, it ceased to exist shortly after the election. The key figures, Hirschson and Ramon, returned to Kadima. The party is largely considered a footnote in Israeli political history, primarily remembered for its opportunistic formation and rapid dissolution.