N-E-T-A-N-Y-A-H-U Spells "Dictator", Not "Democrat

Prior to the Likud’s last primary in 2006, party chairman and former Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu decided to let the Likud’s entire membership choose who will represent the party on its Knesset list and therefore in the next Knesset. Ostensibly he did this to remove the party’s reputation for corruption which it had earned by having its Central Committee choose the Knesset list.

Prior to the party’s successful vote to make this change, Netanyahu went so far as to say – as reported by YNet - that the proposed change would be passed because “we listen to the heart of the people, the hearts of our friends, our voters, those who want to once again be our voters.”

Only two years later, still-party chairman Netanyahu decided to go against his own sage advice. In order to keep Manhigut Yehudit leader Moshe Feiglin from gaining a spot on the Likud’s Knesset list from which he would probably ascend to the Knesset, Netanyahu altered the rules of the election after they had been approved. He did this to dilute Feiglin’s support and destroy the chances of Feiglin’s associated candidates to earn two other “realistic” spots on the list, even though Feiglin and company support the Likud’s official Charter and Netanyahu himself does not. The Likud’s Charter calls for the Land of Israel to be annexed by the State of Israel. Feiglin supports this position, but Netanyahu does not.

The Likud under Netanyahu had polling places removed from areas Feiglin demonstrated strength – shrinking the total number of polling places from over 200 to 91, and had the number of voting machines in other Feiglin strongholds reduced. The effect of these maneuvers was to cause Feiglin supporters tremendous hardship in their efforts to vote. Additionally, prior to the election, an unheard-of group which claims to be true to the Land of Israel placed advertisements in these same Feiglin strongholds proclaiming that the Likud would lose seats in the next election if Feiglin were on the list in a good position, even though history – and post-election polls - has shown that the Likud actually gains seats when it stands firm and attached to its rightist ideology as espoused in its own Charter.

These dirty tricks must have cost Feiglin hundreds if not thousands of votes, yet he still finished in the 20^th position, which was a “realistic” or “safe” spot to gain entry into the next Knesset, as pre-election polls showed the Likud winning between 30 and 37 seats. Feiglin finished a mere 210 votes behind the candidate who won the 19^th spot, but these 210 votes are proving crucial. One of Netanyahu’s close associates filed a highly doubtful technical claim with the Likud court which succeeded in pushing Moshe down one spot. As spots 21-35 were reserved for certain specific types of candidates or candidates from specific areas, being pushed down one slot actually pushed Moshe down to spot number 36. Even this is not good enough for Netanyahu, as he – according to Channel 2 News - had election officials literally going house to house earlier this week – of course seemingly only to Netanyahu supporters – to gain approval for him to add 4 more candidates from an outside party onto the Likud’s list. Of course they would be placed immediately in front of Feiglin, pushing Moshe Feiglin further down to spot number 40 and therefore into a seemingly hopeless position. Channel 2 News correspondent Amit Segal quoted a source close to Netanyahu as saying, "The voting [about adding the new party] will continue until we win."

Only hours before Feiglin’s demotion to spot 36, Netanyahu confirmed his personal role in the destruction of democracy in the Likud with a statement about Moshe Feiglin that was quoted by Haaretz. “I finished off his entire faction after I changed the voting system," he said. Bibi continued, “If I hadn't fought against him, he would now be in the 12th slot on the list, with another two MKs.”

In 2006, Netanyahu elucidated his goal of what he seemingly wanted for the Likud: “To return to the people a leadership that believes in the nation, that will strengthen it, that will give it hope and not illusions, security and not weakness." He even attacked then-Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of the Kadima party, saying that “he lost the faith of the nation.”

But now, Netanyahu is pushing to form a “unity” government with Kadima and Labor should he become Prime Minister again. As Kadima has done nothing but continue to bring weakness and despair to Israel since 2006, any interested observer must question why Netanyahu is going against his own advice again.

Netanyahu’s crusade to keep a true ideological Likudnik like Feiglin - who will bring hope, strength and Jewish pride to the country - off the party’s list is now hurting the Likud’s chances to gain control of the next government, as the party has been reduced to 31 seats from a high of 36 seats in post-election polls.

Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu is risking his political career, the Likud’s victory, and the security of the state of Israel all to keep Moshe Feiglin off of the Likud’s Knesset list.

Bibi ended last week’s diatribe against Feiglin by stating that “I did what I had to do as a leader.”

Officials at Manhigut Yehudit, and almost the entire Israeli populace, disagree with you, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel deserves leadership that will place the interests of the Jewish People, the Land of Israel, and the G-d of Israel above petty politics or outside agendas.

Will you be that leader, Mr. Netanyahu?