Israeli Communist Opposition

The Israeli Communist Opposition (Hebrew: אופוזיציה קומוניסטית ישראלית‎, Opozitzia Komunistit Yisra'elit), commonly known by its Hebrew acronym Aki (אק"י), was a small communist organization in Israel. The group was founded in 1973 by former Knesset member Esther Vilenska after she left Maki.[1]

Vilenska had emerged in the spring of 1972 as a leading voice against the Maki leadership, accusing it of 'right-wing deviations'.[2] Vilenska and her followers argued that the alliance should include more radical forces, such as Uri Avnery's Meri. When Meri was not included in the alliance, Vilenska's group participated in the Meri list in the 1973 Knesset election.[1] In the end, the Maki Central Committee expelled her and her associates from the party. Aki was formed by her followers, and was labelled a "splitting, neo-Rakahist tendency" by Maki.[3]

Aki had a predominately Jewish membership.[4] The group opposed both Maki and Rakah.[5] The organization published the monthly Hedim (הדים, 'Echoes') in Hebrew from Tel Aviv, with Vilenska as its editor between 1974 and 1975.[6] It also issued a Yiddish publication, Undzer shtime (אונדזער שטימע, 'Our Voice').[7]

Ahead of the elections to the 12th congress of Histadrut, Aki formed a joint list with the Blue-Red Movement and HaOlam HaZeh.[5]

In 1975, former general secretary of Maki Shmuel Mikunis resigned from that party in protest at its merger process with Moked, and joined Aki instead.[6] Aki held a national conference on 5 July 1975, with around a hundred participants; Vilenska and Mikunis led the meeting. The conference elaborated a programme for the organization.[8] Vilenska died on November 9, 1975.[9]

References
  1. Richard Felix Staar; Milorad M. Drachkovitch; Lewis H. Gann (1974). Yearbook on International Communist Affairs. Yearbook on International Communist Affairs. Hoover Institution Press. p. 248.
  2. Midstream; a monthly Jewish review, Vol. 24. Theodor Herzl Foundation. 1978. p. 34.
  3. Peretz Merhav (1980). The Israeli Left: History, Problems, Documents. A. S. Barnes. p. 76. ISBN 978-0-498-02184-8.
  4. United States. Central Intelligence Agency (1977). National Basic Intelligence Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. p. 102.
  5. Alain Greilsammer (1978). Les communistes israéliens. Presses de la Fondation nationale des sciences politiques. p. 301. ISBN 978-2-7246-0403-0.
  6. Milorad M. Drachkovitch; Lewis H. Gann (1976). Yearbook on International Communist Affairs. Yearbook on International Communist Affairs. Hoover Institution Press. p. 549.
  7. WorldCat. Undzer shṭime = Our voice
  8. Jewish Currents, Vol. 29. Jewish Currents. 1975. p. 15.
  9. Jewish Currents, Vol. 30. Jewish Currents. 1976. p. 15.
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