Socialist Workers Party

Socialist Workers Party (, Hebrew abbreviation , 'Mops', English abbreviation 'MPS') was a political party in the British Mandate of Palestine from 1919–1922. Its followers were known as Mopsim. The party was a minor force in the political life of the Yishuv in Palestine, and was torn by internal divisions between the labour Zionism of Poale Zion and the proletarian internationalism of the Communist International. The party was the precursor of the Palestine Communist Party, and of the current Communist Party of Israel. Foundation On September 25, 1919, Poalei Zionists in Haifa, Jaffa and Jerusalem met and decided to relaunch a Poalei Zion party in Palestine (the rightist sections of the Palestine Poalei Zion had formed a separate party, Ahdut HaAvoda in March same year). The founding congress of the Socialist Workers Party was held on October 17–19, 1919 in Jaffa. In a few weeks, the new party had a membership of approximately 110–120 persons. Mass work Trade union work played a central role in the MPS. At the second conference of the Zionist Railway Workers' Union, held in Jaffa March 6–7, 1920, MPS was the largest bloc with seven delegates. In order to counter the MPS influence in the union, Ahdut HaAvoda and Hapoel Hatzair joined forces. Together the two parties had eight delegates.