after the independence of the state of israel, the gap between the two groups widened. the general zionists a helped form the progressive party, which won 5 seats in 1949 knesset elections and entered the mapai-led governing coalition. the general zionists b, running as the general zionists, won 7 seats and chose to remain in the opposition. in the years following the establishment of the state of israel in 1948, the general zionists moved towards the right in opposition to the hegemony of mapai and other labour zionist movements in israeli politics.