Mapam was a Labor Zionist and democratic socialist political party in the State of Israel. Established shortly before Israeli independence in January 1948 as a merger between the Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party, the Socialist Leaqgue, and the Ahdut HaAvoda Poale Zion movement, it initially represented a Marxist form of Labor Zionism, and was distinctive because of its critical support for the Soviet Union. It was once the second largest political force in Israel, drawing support from both the kibbutz and the urban working class movements, and initially benefited from popularity among the military elite.