Moshe Feiglin, who heads the Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) faction of the Likud Party, has announced his bid for the party leadership slot, running against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Feiglin, who represents values in line with Torah and Halacha has been a thorn in the prime minister’s side for some time, as his faction continues to gain support, Mr. Netanyahu seeks to rewrite party regulations to oust him on technicalities, showing his real commitment to democracy, his flagship policy in the political arena. Netanyahu realized just how popular Feiglin has become, with the latter landing the second slot in the 2007 primary race. In 2008 when he landed the 20th slot on the party roster, ensuring himself a Knesset seat, and once again, Netanyahu, the champion of democracy, used underhanded tactics to oust him. Nevertheless, Feiglin remains determined to chip away at the party leadership, which he accuses of being bankrupt and void of ideology.
Feiglin plans to rely heavily on social networking, and his is calling for a list of reforms, including the judicial system, which stand atop of the state agencies that turns its back on the Torah way of life. He admits he has no trust in the nation’s judicial system but will continue using it as a means to an end. He told Kol Chai Radio that what is truly noteworthy is just how much time, effort and money the prime minister will spend to keep Feiglin and his supporters out, for they represent the true values the party was built on, values that include a Greater Israel and respecting the kedusha of Toras Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael.
As in the past, Feiglin will focus on just how today’s Likud Party has strayed from its nationalistic roots, the days of Ze’ev Jabotinsky and Menachem Begin, now a party that has shed its Jewish roots, constantly willing to compromise and turning its back on its past towards achieving its goal — remaining in office.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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13 Responses
Feiglin is a demogogue in the Newt Gingrich mold. Electing him would be the death knell of Likud.
So he’s trying to sabotage the secular party most likely to prevent a radically anti-Jewish secular government. Better Netanyahu than Livni, Barak, Lapid or Yachimovich. Splitting Likud will lead to a situation that will work very much to our detriment. Feiglin’s strategy of taking over the largest party would make more sense in a country like the US, not in a parliamentary system using proportional represenation.
BTW, Jabotinsky was militantly anti-Torah. Splitting Likud, which is what Feiglin’s attempted takeover of Likud would do, will result in the traditional “Jabotinsky” type Likudnik ending up in a “secular” government with the other ultra-secular.
To #1 and #2, Feiglin is a Torah Jew who whants to turn Israel on Torah way.
#3- no one argues the point — however he doesn’t understand how things work in a parliamentary system with proportional represenation. His strategy would work find in the US (get the Republican nomination, beat the other party’s nominee in the election). However the Israeli system means you have to get a coalition, and that parties stay small since it is easy to set up your own faction as long as you can get 2% of the vote (in the US, you need 50% of the vote in a single district to get a seat). Given his religious and nationalistic views, Feiglin is shooting himself in the foot.
Faiglin is the best most upright honest politician in Israel; unfortunately that is why he has not been successful.
when i lived in brooklyn i laughed at the term galut mentality and i thought it was a tziyoni cliche
there are those that the world defines what and who they are and what they are
and then there are those that define the world by what they are about and what they want think about that
To akuperma:
With all the political combinations machinations and manipulations and attempts to outsmart themselfs, most of Israily politishans are seling out jewish land and have no Jewish values what so ever.
Moshe Faiglin is the only politition with maby idealistic, but an upright vision. His vision got him to the second position in Likud that far.
May be, instead of critisizing him, we urge all our relatives and friends who live in Israel to give Moshe support, may be we would get a real Jewish goverment instead of what we have right now. Moshe becoming a head of Likud could be a first and good step in that direction.
akuperma, why would you imagine that he doesn’t understand the Israeli political system? What other system has he ever experienced or studied? Why do you think you understand it better than he does?
akuperma, do you imagine Feiglin is an American?!
to Moose613:
Are you kidding? You think Feiglin is a demagogue like Gingrich? What exactly is in your hookah pipe?
Gingrich says that the ‘palestinians’ are an invented people made up simply to destroy Israel, yet 3 hours later his office issues a statement that he still supports the 2-state (Final) solution.
Feiglin says that Israel belongs to the Jewish People because G-d gave it to us, and his positions are 100% consistent with that philosophy. None of his positions counter his philosophy of making Israel more “Jewish”.
Please pass me your pipe.
to akuperma:
You think Moshe’s idea of ‘taking over’ the Likud can’t work in the Israeli political system?
Hello!!!! I guess you didn’t notice when Amir Peretz did the exact thing that you said can’t be done in Israel when he took over the Labor party a couple of years ago by bringing in his own people.
The question is not whether or not it can be done, as it clearly CAN be done.
The question is whether or not after Moshe makes political gains of one type or another the Israeli Establishment (headed by the ultra-leftist Supreme Court) will declare Moshe ‘anti-democratic’ like they did to Rabbi Kahane and therefore ineligible to run for any office.
In Israel, being ‘too Jewish’ and not going along with those who wish to destroy Israel makes one a threat to the Establishment, and Moshe is threat number 1 to them.
to aKuperma:
If all Moshe does is splitting Likud, it is fine.
The Likud is simply a tool, which can be used for good or bad.
The only party that can destroy Israel is the Likud, and the only party that can build Israel is the Likud.
The fight for Israel is being waged INSIDE the Likud.
As only the Likud has the ‘right-wing credentials’ to destroy Israel, if it is broken up due to a Feiglin win, then so be it. The destroyer will be destroyed, and then we’ll wait for Moshe to re-build the Likud so it can be used to build up the Land – the ENTIRE LAND!!
#11- You are referring to Prime Minister Amir Peretz? You have noticed that he started the road by which Kadimah eclipsed Labor as the “left-center” party. Do you really want to be in a situation in five years in which Labor and Kadimah are the two big parties, and Likud is struggling?
Given that Israel has a parliamentary and proportional system, the effect of taking over Likud will be minimal since the voters always can choose a party that exactly fits their agenda. Feiglin seems to be using an American political paradign which won’t work under the current Israeli system. It might be viable under the British or Canadian system where you have a small number of choices and single member constituencies – but not with proportional representation.