The Likud primary: what’s unthinkable?

In less than two weeks, Likud members who are eligible to vote in this year’s Party primary will go to the polls to choose the next head-of-Likud. They will choose between current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Moshe Feiglin, head of the largest Likud faction, Manhigut Yehudit. Few expect Feiglin to win. Some want him to win.  Others want him to lose. Still others say it’s okay for Feiglin to lose, but if he loses by too many votes, Netanyahu will feel he has a mandate to reject Likud beliefs in favour of a Left-leaning agenda of his own making.

This election is about more than whose name goes on Likud’s door. It’s about which direction Likud turns, Left or Right; and because the nation’s entire political stage appears ready to change, this Likud election could have significant national ripple effects. The way political commentators are talking today, Likud’s two closest rivals may cease to be rivals: many guess that Yair Lapid’s decision to enter politics could spell the end of Kadima, and Avigdor Lieberman’s legal troubles could suppress his Party’s influence in the next national election.  Throw in a newly minted Naom Shalit to further muddy political rivalries, and Likud could end up as Israel’s political Goliath.

Likud members must decide who they are—another Leftist Party, or Israel’s strongest Rightist Party. After months of news stories that illustrate just how far to the political Left Benjamin Netanyahu has turned, Israelis understand that Moshe Feiglin supports a Likud Platform that Mr Netanyahu clearly rejects.  According to recent reports ( ‘Poll shows high support for Feiglin in Likud’, Gil Ronen, Arutz Sheva, January 17, 2012), a significant minority of Likud members are in near-revolt against Netanyahu because of his Leftist decisions. By contrast, Moshe Feiglin is true to his Party. He will not support a Leftist High Court. He will not encourage a Leftist civil administration to arrest Jews from Judea and Samaria on unfounded espionage charges.  He defends Likud beliefs. Netanyahu does not—and some Likud members are angry.  Israelis have no idea how far Left Mr Netanyahu will go. No one in Israel questions where Mr Feiglin stands.

Today, Israelis understand that Mr Netanyahu has shown little effort to confront Leftist NGOs (non-governmental organizations) who seek foreign money to attack Israel’s integrity—and then claim immunity from oversight because they ‘defend democracy.’ Mr Netanyahu might buy that argument. No one in Israel believes that Mr Feiglin will buy it.

From the news, Israelis see secularists in the IDF harassing and coercing religious soldiers. Israelis may wonder why Mr Netanyahu allows such anti-Jewish behaviour by Jews in the IDF when the IDF needs religious soldiers to maintain battle readiness; but no one in Israel believes that Mr Feiglin will support or accept such behaviour—especially when the government has committed to recruiting more-- not fewer—religious youth.

When Israelis see Leftists act as provocateurs to manipulate the public into an anti-Haredi frenzy, they may wonder how eagerly Mr Netanyahu will join the bashing of religious Jews (we will not accept discrimination!). No one in Israel believes the Mr Feiglin would be a part of such manufactured outrage.

When Israelis see pro-Israel Jewish protesters demonized and anti- Israel Leftist protesters lionized, everyone in Israel wonders how aggressively Mr Netanyahu will react against the pro-Israel Jews (we will not allow [pro-Israel Jewish] extremists to start a religious war!). No one in Israel believes the Mr Feiglin would join such Leftist attacks.

Israelis know that anti-Jewish and anti-Israel Jewish Leftists have been misleading, manipulating and demonizing Israelis in order to build a clearly anti-Jewish agenda at the expense of Israel’s majority. Israelis may ask why Mr Netanyahu embraces these Leftists. No one is Israel believes that Mr Feiglin will do the same.

Israel’s majority is tired of watching our leaders acquiesce before those who hate Israel. They are tired of watching Mr Netanyahu back-pedal.  No one is Israel believes that Moshe Feiglin will back-pedal.

Likud voters turn to Likud because they believe in Israel. They join Likud because they want a strong Jewish nation. They vote Likud because they want a strong Jewish leader.

Likud voters know that Israel faces challenges. They understand the realities confronting us. They want to stand steadfast and true to their people, their ancestral land and their heritage.

Likud voters know what lies before them. They understand Jewish destiny.  They know why strong Jewish leadership is important to them—and to Israel. 

Likud has become comfortable with Netanyahu. He dominates the political landscape. On one level, it appears unthinkable that he should lose this election. But then, it is even more unthinkable that Likud should be led by someone who shows his own ‘family’ so little respect.

What future will Likud members choose? We will soon find out.