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Manhigut Yehudit

Tel Aviv Court Paves Way for Likud Elections - Feiglin Gains Expected
17 Adar,5770 (March 3, '10)

Despite Netanyahu's best efforts to derail them, Likud Central Committee elections are on track to take place on April 28th, the 14th of Iyar. Moshe Feiglin and his Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) faction are expected to do well in the internal Likud election, further strengthening Feiglin's growing power in the party. Netanyahu has pushed hard to have the internal election delayed until at least 2012 in order to gain time to register more Kadimah defectors to offset Feiglin's strength in the party. Tel Aviv District Court Judge Yehuda Zeft made it clear on Tuesday that elections should go forward as planned stating, “Even if you decide to declare yourselves central committee members for life and that it will also carry on to your children, it doesn’t mean it counts.” In the wake of this warning, Bibi has cancelled a planned Likud internal vote on his postponement plan, while leaving his option to appeal to the Supreme Court open.

Netanyahu waged an intense personal campaign against Feiglin in the 2008 Likud Party primaries. His goal was to prevent his rival from influencing the structure of the Likud list running in the general elections and to prevent Feiglin from entering the Knesset. The power of Manhigut Yehudit's grassroots organization behind candidates proclaiming support for strong Jewish values and connection to the entire land of Israel won the day with Likud voters. Netanyahu is now concerned that Feiglin's movement will sweep into a stronger position through the upcoming process of selecting a new party Central Committee. The Central Committee of the Likud was the source of the only serious opposition to Ariel Sharon's plan to unilaterally abandon Jewish communities in Gush Katif and is gearing up to become an insurmountable obstacle to Netanyahu and his stated plans to create a demilitarized Arab state in Judea and Samaria.