oo often my blog posts about Israeli politics get comments claiming that Moshe Feiglin is the solution to our problems, and then the commenters are upset when I don’t agree with them. Since, again, we are preparing for Knesset Elections here in Israel, this seems to be a good time to explain my position.
First of all, yes, I agree with many of Feiglin’s stated positions/ideology/platform. But as a long-time political pundit, blogger, writer and having been on the fringes, and even closer, to the Israeli political scene and system, most specifically the Right, the Likud and its forerunners, Herut and Gahal and Techiya, I do have a perspective much broader, deeper and larger than most people. And yes, I’m old and made aliyah in 1970. Over the decades, close to half a century, I’ve met and known a large number of Likud and other Israeli Right politicians.
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I’m also rather pragmatic in my way of thinking and have a tendency to remember what others would prefer I’d forget.
From experience I’m rather cynical when it comes to politics, and I take for granted that not only are campaign promises made to be broken but one of the biggest dangers is projected our values and thought processes on politicians, especially those in the Likud.
No Israeli political party has done more to destroy Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel than the Likud.
No Israeli political party has destroyed more Jewish businesses than the Likud.
No Israeli political party has disappointed and shocked its voters/supporters than the Likud.
No Israeli political party has a party bureaucracy stronger and impervious to change and influence than the Likud.
When Moshe Feiglin first announced his entry to the Likud leadership race, he did it in the most obnoxious, rude and guaranteed to fail way possible. He insulted the veteran party members telling them that he and only he was the real Likud, and he would take over. Considering the ingrained long-time party establishment well-embedded in the Likud Central Committee, its judicial etc., Feiglin’s boasts could never be taken seriously. There isn’t a way for him to take over the party. Not even Arik Sharon and Ehud Olmert, who is a brilliant and experienced political manipulator raised in a Revisionist home, managed to take over the Likud. Two elections ago, Bibi had no problem getting the Likud “court” to approve overriding the primary results to guarantee his candidates over those Feiglin supported. Notice that I wrote “Feiglin supported.” I didn’t write “Feiglin supporters,” because very few of those whom Feiglin told his people to vote for actually identified with and supported Feiglin.
Feiglin will not take over the Likud. He will never be elected party leader.
Now, if Moshe Feiglin had really wanted to change the State of Israel, to have a greater influence over domestic and foreign policy bringing it more to the Right, he would have joined with people like Arieh Eldad and Michael Ben-Ari. Feiglin is just the person to take them from the Right wing fringes into a power base. Their basic policies are the same. What Eldad and Ben-Ari have been missing all this time is the excellent organizational and fundraising skills of Feiglin.
Yes, I do see Feiglin as having intelligence and talents, but I totally disagree with “plan.” And to be perfectly honest. I really wonder if he, himself, takes his plan all that seriously. Maybe he just aims to fund-raise to campaign…
