Lead Or Cede

By Moshe Feiglin

Sivan, 5768
June, '08

My friend and well-known attorney and Land of Israel activist Elyakim Ha'etzni wrote an article last week titled 'Feiglin's Moment of Truth.' The premise of his article was that the fact that Netanyahu is trying to add leftists such as Uzi Dayan and Dan Meridor to the Likud ticket is the final test of my efforts to lead the Likud.

I do not think that the Likud roster is really my test. Mr. Ha'etzni can rest assured that the people who joined the Likud through Manhigut Yehudit will not be voting for leftist candidates like Dan Meridor or Uzi Dayan.

But how will Ha'etzni be voting? Well, he won't be voting. I tried to convince him that the Likud is not just another political party - that it is the arena on which the leadership of the national camp is determined. I tried to convince him that registering for the Likud is not signing an open check for its leaders but rather purchasing a ticket to the arena where those leaders are chosen. I tried to convince him that it makes no difference how many Knesset seats the small national camp parties will have in the Knesset. They will always be snugly in the pocket of the head of the Likud, who can be sure that they will never support the Labor party. I tried to convince him. Ha'etzni took the registration form from my hands, turned it over and over and finally said, "Register for the Likud? I just can't do it."

Is Ha'etzni also put off by voting for the Knesset? After all, when he votes for the Knesset he is also giving legitimacy to parties like Kadimah, Meretz and the Arabs. Should we sideline ourselves from the Knesset elections, as well?

I don't know what the final makeup of the Likud ticket will be. But one thing is clear; those people who connected to the rest of the nation and registered for the Likud have already passed the test. They will already be able to influence the makeup of the ticket - as we have done in the past. My dear friend Ha'etzni, on the other hand, and all those who refused to register for the Likud can't vote. They have no influence at all over the ruling party of the national camp. Instead they are embroiled in a hodgepodge of completely irrelevant right wing splinter parties. So who has passed the test and who has failed?

Thank G-d, our status and importance in the Likud is growing by leaps and bounds. Two years ago nobody would have dreamed that a faith-based candidate would win one quarter of the primaries vote for head of the ruling party of the national camp. It is easy to enter the Knesset in one of the constantly shrinking right wing parties. It would have been easy for me to jump straight from Zo Artzeinu to the Knesset, which is exactly what Benny Alon did. But what difference does another sectoral skullcap make in the Knesset and even in the cabinet? (Benny Alon brings that point home). Religious Zionism has to realize that either it leads, or it cedes its relevance.

Those Religious Zionists who registered for the Likud are making a clear mark on the party. It is entirely likely, with G-d's help, that we will also be on the Likud ticket in the upcoming elections. On the other side of the fence is an impressive roster of experienced people who are Knesset members of right wing parties. But today, they are irrelevant and their numbers are contracting.

The bottom line is that Religious Zionism will either lead or disappear from politics. Those who refuse to join the leadership tool of the national camp will soon be irrelevant.