What Now?

By Shmuel Sackett

After our loss in the Central Committee referendum, many friends have called and asked me, “What now?” Here is my simple, right-to-the-point answer: More of the same! Let’s analyze the referendum for a second:

The vote was taken exclusively in the Central Committee where our strength is limited. Please remember that this is the same CC from 2002. We only have a total of 120 delegates in that committee. That’s all. But there’s more than that. Over the last 8 years, we have seen the same exact trend: Every time a vote comes before the CC that is a 100% ISSUE vote, we win, while every time a vote comes before the CC that is about a PERSON, we lose. Allow me to explain:

We initiated a vote before the CC regarding whether or not the Likud should support a Palestinian State and over 2,000 voted AGAINST… which is what we wanted. We initiated a vote before the CC regarding a new law that we proposed; that new members must wait 16 months before becoming eligible to vote. Once again this was passed by a huge majority (I do not recall the exact numbers but it was a landslide) so again, we WON that vote. However, every time a vote comes before the CC that is NOT about an issue but about a PERSON… we lose.

In previous years, the CC voted on the Knesset slate and every time we ran for a realistic spot on that slate we lost. In the past we ran Moshe and then Michoel and even Asya and each time we lost. It was only this last time (in Dec 2008) when the GENERAL MEMBERSHIP voted for the Likud Knesset slate that Moshe won a realistic spot. This is EXACTLY why Bibi made this a PERSONAL issue. In reality it was a silly, little, boring referendum but he turned it into a Bibi vs Feiglin item and rest assured, with this current CC, we cannot possibly win in that scenario. The conclusion is obviously clear. Our strength in the CC is limited while our strength in the party is much greater. Please remember that when Sharon took a referendum inside the party re: the Gush Katif expulsion, ALL POLLS said that he would win… but WE won. The Likud general membership voted AGAINST the expulsion. This is yet another example of our strength in the party. Inside the CC, however, we are definitely limited.

As stated above, we have only 120 delegates. We worked very hard and brought 483 to vote “against” in the referendum. That is 4 times our entire group! The media was right on the ball when all week they kept saying that Bibi’s “magic number” was 1,500. They knew that we could only get to about 500 so in order for Bibi to secure a 2/3 majority, he needed a voter turnout of 1,500. To his credit, he worked like crazy and brought out the vote. He hosted 6 conferences all over the country, called every CC member, set up real-time teams to check the online voter turnout, got his ministers involved (especially Bogey, Begin, Katz and Kachlon), put the entire Likud machine to work and made sure that his people came to vote. Personally, I do not buy the “cheating” line. I did not see it in any of the places I visited. He simply worked very hard and brought 2,100 CC members to vote. That is an incredible voter turnout (over 80%!!!). Therefore, there is no need to be depressed. No sky is falling down.

Let me be perfectly clear: With this current CC, if 2,100 come to vote – on what they perceive to be a “personal” thing (which is what Bibi succeeded in doing) – we will NEVER win!! We will put up a fight, give them a “run for their money” but – using an NBA analogy - our team is just not good enough to beat the Lakers. We have some good shooters, some wonderful defenders and some terrific rebounders but against Kobe Bryant, we are just NOT going to win! When a NEW CC is elected and we DOUBLE our power and get a much younger CC, then it’ll be like adding LeBron James and Michael Jordan to our team and that means the Lakers are toast! So relax, my friends. We put up a wonderful fight but – as I wrote above – our current team can only go so far. Today’s YEDIOT – page 2 - said it best:

“Feiglin worked very hard but still doesn’t have enough strength to defeat the big guns.”

I want you to read that line again. They did not laugh at us. They didn’t flick us off like a piece of dandruff. The biggest newspaper in Israel wrote that we “…still don’t have enough strength…” This means that one day we will! They know it. Bibi knows it. Moshe and I know it. We need YOU to know it, too! One last point regarding those that have written to me saying that it is time to leave Likud. Please think about this:

Efi Eitam – great war hero, beautiful Jew… but totally irrelevant in the world of politics.

Benny Elon – Torah scholar, wonderful Jew… but totally irrelevant in the world of politics.

BOTH of these men have realized what I wrote and LEFT politics.How about the current guys?

Ketzale – hero, builder of YESHA communities, founder of Arutz-7, a REAL amazing Jew who I love dearly… but totally irrelevant in the world of politics.

Michael Ben_Ari – proud student of my Rabbi (HaRav Kahane), great fighter, tough and proud Jew… but totally irrelevant in the world of politics.

I could go on but I think you understand my point. Now let’s take a look at one more guy.

Moshe Feiglin – loser of many elections, never made it to the Knesset, not an IDF general (although he was a combat commander in the Lebanon war), didn’t start his own radio station etc… but – VERY and TOTALLY relevant in the world of politics!!! Nobody is laughing at Moshe. In Israel’s “right wing” that is simply an incredible achievement. By now, he should have been laughed out of politics. But he is not. Yediot, Ma’ariv, Jerusalem Post and even Ha’aretz take him seriously. ALL TV and radio stations in Israel rush to interview him. And MOST IMPORTANTLY – the Prime Minster of Israel works night and day to defeat him!!! WHY????????????

One reason: Because he is fighting INSIDE Likud. He has not put himself in a ghetto but has entered the leadership party with his bold and daring plan. You must understand that had he used this SAME plan from OUTSIDE Likud, he too would have become a “has been”. The name “Feiglin” would have quickly been erased from memory and the dream of Israel as a proud and strong Jewish State would be over. Therefore, to answer the question: “What now?” I say “More of the same!!!” More signing up members for Likud. More gaining strength and momentum inside the ruling party. More opposition from WITHIN and no holding signs and protesting from outside!

When we entered Likud in Nov 2000 I wrote and said that we are embarking on a 10-15 plan. 10 years is the minimum and we are not even there yet. I assure you that we are on the right track. Let’s keep focused, stick to the game plan, pray to Avinu She’ba’shamayim, always work to sanctify our Father’s great and holy Name and we will succeed within the time frame we set!