Manhigut Yehudit is doing its utmost to make our dream of Jewish leadership for Israel a reality. That means that we are involved in politics. It may be a lot more pleasant to strictly write articles and bemoan Israel's woes, but that will not produce the change that Israel so vitally needs. The following is a synopsis of some of the political issues that we currently face:
Tzippy's Secret
What is Tzippy Livni's secret? How does a nondescript political nobody meteorically streak into Israel's prime ministerial political race? After all, she has no real experience, she never shouldered serious responsibility, her public record is blank - why Livni?
Tzippy Livni's secret is not what she did. It is what she did not do. As Israel sweats through the death throes of Olmert's government, the public has by and large rejected the Israeli establishment. A politician who has developed through establishment channels is currently at a serious disadvantage. Shaul Mofaz does not (yet) have any scandals working against him. From the public relations standpoint, he is no less blemish-free than Livni. But former Chief of Staff and well-connected Mofaz is perceived by the public as an establishment man while Livni is erroneously perceived as unblemished by the Israeli system.
This process is also taking place inside the Likud and is impacting on the way that Likudniks view Moshe Feiglin. Netanyahu's attempts to exclude Feiglin from the Likud establishment have presented Moshe with short-term difficulties. But in the long term, they have worked in his favor. The Likudniks - the weather vane of Israeli society at large - view the very fact that Feiglin is not an establishment figure as a major point in his favor.
From the Press
Netanyahu Trying to Outflank Feiglin
Feiglin has charged that the Likud's newcomers are mostly "left-wingers [who] won't help the Likud." MK Reuven Rivlin also criticized the idea of parachuting people into preferred places on the election list. "Every member of Knesset must be chosen by the people and should not be appointed," he said.
The problem is not simply that Netanyahu seems intnet on returning the Likud to the smoke-filled inner sanctums where Likud politics were once conducted, making it an irrelevant party in the process. The problem is that Netanyahu prefers to parachute leftists, or 'rightists' who will provide the faade of legitimacy for continued expulsions into the top spots on the Likud list. For example:
Uzi Dayan: One of the main promoters of the Oslo Accords and an enthusiastic supporter of the Expulsion from Gush Katif.
Dan Meridor: A member of the leftist Israel Democracy Institute who helped promote the Expulsion.
Asaf Chefetz: The 'leftist of the Likud," in his own words. The former police commissioner who was responsible for the events that led to the murder of Rabbi Uzi Meshulam supporter, Shlomi Asulin. He too, supported the Expulsion.
Yechiel Leiter: The settler who proposes expulsion from 11 settlements including Har Bracha and Yitzhar.
If the reports about Netanyahu's plans are correct, his goal is to turn the Likud into a Kadimah clone. If he actually believes that by doing so he will replace Livni as the media favorite, he is in for a major disappointment. Livni will still be portrayed as the new Israeli idol. Netanyahu will still be portrayed as the villain. And the public, who will no longer see any difference between Kadimah and Likud, will succumb to the media brainwashing and vote for the original Kadimah.
The struggle within the Likud against Netanyahu's plan is very broad-based. "I am not alone in the Likud against Netanyahu," says Moshe. "I hope that he will understand that his battle against me harms both him and the Likud."
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