The Likud has set party primary elections is set for 15 Teves (January 6, 2015) in a last-minute agreement reached between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Likud Central Committee leader MK Danny Danon. The prime minister signaled he preferred holding elections earlier, in December 2014. A vote on changing the party’s constitution will take place earlier, on 2 Teves (December 24, 2014). Danon was against combining the two votes earlier as the prime minister wished. The two finally reached agreement.

Netanyahu and many others were surprised that MK Moshe Feiglin managed to gain support for his position, to hold party leadership elections even if national elections are not scheduled in the next half a year. Several attempts at an open ballot on the matter were unsuccessful and therefore, the Central Committee will hold a secret ballot on it in two weeks. If it is passed, the prime minister will have to defend his position as party leader. It appears that Danon and Feiglin will be seeking the party leadership slot along with the prime minister.

“I am here to return the Likud to its true path. Unfortunately, the current chairman of the party has left the way of the Likud and now is the time to return our movement to its former glory,” said MK Danon.

“Our party has had the privilege to lead this great country because we always made sure to raise the twin banners of diplomatic-security issues together with the important socioeconomic causes that are close to all our hearts. Prime Minister Netanyahu has served in his office for many years, but sadly he seems to have lost his way.”

MK Danon listed how the Prime Minister has left the path of the Likud: “He froze construction in Yehuda and Shomron – something no other prime minister ever did, he released scores of terrorists with blood on their hands, and he agreed to a ceasefire with Hamas while the terror tunnels were still being burrowed under our communities. The Prime Minister stopped the IDF from destroying Hamas and has neglected the issue of the high cost of living here in Israel. At the same time, he has abandoned the Likud’s long standing political alliance with the chareidim, and instead preferred to form a coalition with the Left.”

“We in the Likud elected the Prime Minister to represent our values, but instead he disengaged from our ideology. I am here to say that we must return to the historic way of the Likud. This is the reason I have decided to run for Chairman of the Party. I am seeking the history and traditions of our movement. I have always stayed true to this path and I expected our leaders to do the same. Unfortunately, they did not,” MK Danon continued.

“Over the past few days the Prime Minister has begun to voice opinions of the Right. My friends, do not be fooled. This is a ploy to attract votes and does not indicate a return to his ideological roots,” concluded MK Danon.

In other party elections matters, the Bayit Yehudi party has agreed to hold party primary elections in the coming weeks. The party is expected to appoint its election committee next week. The primary election is likely to take place at the end of December or beginning of January. A number of months later, the party will hold another election to determine the order of the Knesset election lineup.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)