MK Aryeh Eldad (Strength to Israel) and Knesset candidate Moshe Feiglin (Likud) traded barbs today over ideological purity and compromise in politics.
Arutz Sheva reported Eldad as saying that Feiglin was “stuck in the Likud.”
“Feiglin is sentenced to a true moral dilemma, if he betrays his true principles and supports the Netanyahu government in ideological no-confidence votes he will lose all credit,” but if he votes for a no-confidence vote after the destruction of an outpost – which Eldad himself will submit – “he’ll be ejected from the Likud faction and become a faction of one.”
Feiglin responded on his facebook page slamming Eldad for not having popular support and implying that he lacks the influence that comes with being part of a larger, governing party.
“My friend Aryeh Eldad claims that I am stuck in by the Likud,” Feiglin wrote, “he has the freedom that a rabbit in a cage has, to do everything that it pleases and not to be concerned about anything. He is right – in the real Israeli arena it’s going to be very hard – but the public interest testifies to who here is stuck.”
Eldad recently broke away from the National Union before it merged with the Jewish Home party. He and his National Union colleague Michal Ben Ari formed the Strength to Israel party.
It is not clear whether the Strength to Israel party will get enough votes to break the vote threshold to get into the Knesset.
Feiglin recently won the 14th spot on the Likud’s Knesset list (prior to the merger with Yisrael Beitenu and is practically assured a spot in the Knesset.
His Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) movement aims to to take over the Likud and lead the State of Israel.
As of late, however, Feiglin has taken on a much more conciliatory tone towards Likud chairman and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that he supports Netanyahu for the leadership of the country.