Speaking to Israel Radio on Tuesday morning, Minister-without-Portfolio (Likud) Dr. Binyamin Begin announced he has given the matter consideration and has decided to remain on the party ticket in the upcoming election. Begin really wishes to break from politics, but admits party leader Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu persuaded him to run again.

He told Israel Radio that if the prime minister succeeded in persuading the world regarding the Iranian threat, “I am no match for his powers of persuasion”.

When asked to comment on threats from the Manhigut Yehudit faction of the party “to send him back to the geological center”, Begin, a geologist by profession stated “one does not threaten a fish with throwing him back in the water. That is not a threat”.

Analysts do not see Begin in a high ranking on the Likud ticket since the son of late Prime Minister Menachem Begin has lost considerable popularity in the current administration.

When describing the Likud in the interview, he stressed “we are a nation liberal party, not nationalistic, respecting all people”, emphasizing repeatedly the party is centrist right-wing, seeking to portray a different image from the days his late father ran the party.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)