Until now you have been in the Likud. Why did you join Zehut?
Last year a group of people, including myself, met with Moshe Feiglin in Tel Aviv. We asked all the questions and he answered all the answers. Since then, I couldn’t stop thinking about Zehut. I followed Feiglin, read the Zehut platform, did some investigation and reached the conclusion that from among all the politicians and parties in Israel today, he is the only one who is consistent. He doesn’t change his views, he is respectful, speaks clearly and is understandable. So I left the Likud and joined Zehut.
Are you disappointed with the Likud?
The Likud has attempted to realize some sort of policy for which it was elected, but does not succeed. It has always implemented the policies of the Left. I think that it is time for us to take the initiative and say that we strive to create a sovereign, Jewish, democratic, pluralistic, enlightened state here in Israel. But without basing it on our Jewish identity, we are pulling the rug out from under our feet. The only justification for the establishment of the State of Israel is its Judaism – both as a religion and a nationality.
A person who calls himself a Zionist, says the word, ‘Zion’. Zion is the Land of Israel, Zion is Jerusalem, Zion is the Temple Mount. Zionism called itself so because only a vision that envelops within it thousands of years of prayers whispered by Jews throughout the Diaspora can motivate the masses. Throughout the generations Jews thrice daily prayed, “And may our ours see when you restore Your Divine Presence to Zion” – in Kuchin, in Kazakhstan, in Morocco, in Warsaw, all over the world. Communities that had no connection for hundreds of years. They all gathered under the umbrella called Zion. That is Zionism.
Zehut has no previous electoral experience. We know that the voting threshold is a significant danger for new parties. So why don’t you join one of the existing parties?
I reviewed all the parties and all of their leaders. I found in Moshe Feiglin the only leader who is true to what he says. He does not contradict himself. He says the truth, without trying to change it. It is no coincidence that he was able to plumb the depths of Israel’s difficulties and come up with the one word that describes the solution: Zehut, identity. Identity is the ultimate truth. It is who you are. A Jew is a Jew. This identity was determined by Abraham, who brought monotheism to the world. It has continued with us throughout the generations and has remained firm. I do not like politics of saying one thing and doing something else.
Common political wisdom states that in order to succeed, a political party has to appeal to a broad political base –even at the expense of its ideology. It is very nice to say the truth as it is and not to compromise, but that is the way not to get past the voting threshold and make it into the Knesset.
I am not so sure. I think people are tired of politicians who say one thing and mean the other. I have also analyzed why the masses vote for Netanyahu. It is not because they like him so much. I think that many people vote for him because they cannot stand the Left’s positions and they are disgusted with how the media attacks the Likud, the Right, the Nation and everything that smacks of Judaism. I think that things are changing. We have a new generation that wants to understand what it is doing here and why. Slowly but surely, it is filtering down. I believe that Moshe Feiglin’s time has come. With his detailed and exact platform, his time has come. People want to vote for something that is true, straightforward, fair-minded, not blurred, says things as they are – that is how it should be.
Do you think that these things can really take hold in the Tel Aviv milieu, of which you are a part?
Moshe Feiglin is the most accepted of all the rightist leaders. Many leftists say that they do not agree with his views, but they respect his integrity, his fairness, his simplicity and his pointed and exacting eloquence.
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