Why Now?

By Faige Lobel
Director of Public Relations, Manhigut Yehudit USA

Sometimes it’s a good idea to ask, “Why now?”

Two families with fourteen children have just been evacuated from their homes in the former Hevron marketplace, and the resources of the entire state were used to accomplish it. Why just now?

The government did not want to reach a peaceful solution. In a giant, disproportionate show of force, young teenage demonstrators were beaten and arrested. Why precisely now?

The same thing could have been done last week or the week before. Or it could just as well have been postponed for another two weeks. Why would it matter to the authorities, one way or the other? Was there some pressing reason why it was done just now – exactly one week before the Likud Primary election?

The Likud primary might not seem to be a motivating factor in the evil thoughts of Ehud Olmert. He’s surely more concerned with his world image, with making a good impression. He is having “important meetings” with terrorist Mahmoud Abbas. A violent evacuation of settlers from their homes in Hevron, a confrontation with idealistic teens – Amona-style – would demonstrate his loyalties.

The prime minister has a left-wing agenda to carry out. It’s unlikely that he is even thinking about the internal politics of the Likud. (Not even his own 1% rating in the polls seems to disturb him.) How can it be suggested that the evacuation was deliberately, intentionally, purposely carried out exactly a week before the Likud primaries? That’s absurd, isn’t it?

Not necessarily.

We tend to think of Likud politics as being just that, a matter of politics. But something far larger is happening in this year’s primary. The Likud is being offered, not just another right-wing nationalist candidate, but a G-d fearing candidate – a Torah Jew. And Olmert likes that idea even less than Bibi. When Moshe Feiglin will be successful, please G-d, the entire nation will be offered a belief-based alternative.

So it would not be surprising if Olmert were taking his own actions against the candidacy of Moshe Feiglin. The teenagers beaten and arrested may be the children of Feiglin’s most active supporters. Just at the time when their parents are needed to visit Likud members, to transport voters to the polls, to observe the voting – trying to keep things honest – that’s when the children are attacked. That’s when the attention of the country is diverted from the upcoming primary vote.

There is a strong possibility that the parents of the children who were beaten and arrested may be busy this week, attending to the pressing needs of their children. That may impact negatively on the number of available volunteers at a very crucial point in the Feiglin campaign.

If the number of volunteers is not to be diminished, and the last minute campaigning is not to be neglected, additional supporters must come forward. They are needed right now.

Belief-based victory is the only real answer to evacuations and beatings. Only Jewish leadership that will lead the country and the people in a Jewish direction can root out the evil that we see in the present government. Why now? Because the opportunity is at hand, right now.
Click here to rate this post on JBlog