| Summary/Abstract |
Habayit Hayehudi party was one of the most noteworthy phenomena of the general elections held in Israel in 2013. In the 2009 elections the party's main predecessor only won three seats, and polls conducted in the first half of 2012 cast doubt upon its chances of passing the minimum threshold. Defying these predictions, Habayit Hayehudi won 12 seats to become the fourth largest Knesset party. This article's primary claim is that the party's success derived from its leaders' ability to cater to the aspirations and needs ensuing from the traumatic 2005 Gaza disengagement and to replace the feelings of distress and disorientation with a positive momentum.
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