Authentic Jewish Leadership for Israel

The Jewish Leadership Movement Post-Election Update 15 Iyar, 5770 (April 29)

A Short Analysis of the Likud Central Committee Voting

The official results of the voting today indicate that 77% of the Likud Central Committee voters went with Bibi, preferring to defer Likud elections - probably indefinitely. There were many obvious problems and irregularities with today's voting, but it will not help us to turn to the courts or to be "sore losers." And this dark cloud definitely has a silver lining.

After a long and hectic week, we can summarize that Moshe Feiglin and Manhigut Yehudit took a giant leap forward toward leadership of Israel. Moshe Feiglin was in the media constantly. Even those journalists who have traditionally been openly hostile to Moshe related to him with seriousness and respect. There is no doubt that Moshe has positioned himself as an alternative leader for Israel.

There was only one major force this week that opposed Bibi and his planned disengagement from Jerusalem: Moshe Feiglin. He was articulate, determined and unequivocal as he warned of Bibi's plans - very much the next leader in the making.

The following is a summary of the remarks that Moshe Feiglin made tonight at the press conference that he held in Jerusalem:

I call upon all the faith based camp to register for the Likud. Very soon - sooner than one may think - we will be facing elections once again. Next time, we must win. We cannot afford another national camp prime minister who gets elected with the votes of the Right and then executes the policies of the Left.

The faith based camp is beginning to realize that there is no reason for sectorial parties. This understanding is no longer exclusive to Manhigut Yehudit. It is the logical conclusion of ever-growing numbers in the national camp. This new level of understanding will be the catalyst that will bring about faith based leadership for Israel.

Today I realized that there is a large group of Likud Central Committee members whom I did not convince. How do I explain that? Anderson, in the "Emperor's New Clothes" explained it well. When the emperor has no clothes but everyone says that he is beautifully garbed, the average person wants to believe it. If Bibi says he's guarding Jerusalem, people prefer to believe him.

Today we saw two phenomena: One, that Netanyahu is not worried about the National Union, Jewish Home, Lieberman et al. All that matters to him is what is happening in his party. Without Manhigut Yehudit, nothing would be in his way. We did not succeed, but we put up a good fight. Our conclusion is to remain in this arena.

The second thing that we clearly see is that the cards are unfairly stacked against us: No judges, no observers, no rules and all the irregularities that we witnessed today. It seems like a contradiction; we are in the correct arena, but our hands are tied. But reality will continue to reduce the influence of the mechanism that stifles our progress. Even the Soviet Union fell when people stopped giving legitimacy to the government.

I am not worried that Bibi will flood the Likud with non-ideological voters - worker's unions and the like, who will do his bidding. I am sure that there will be a massive ideological registration to the Likud that will more than balance Bibi's straw voters. It is specifically for that reason that we have to continue to register our people for the Likud.

We are certain that Bibi coordinated his plan with the High Court. The current Likud Central Committee is already in power over twice as long as it should be. The High Court didn't even relate to that fact. It will continue to handle Bibi with kid gloves as long as he continues to surrender Jerusalem.

I want to thank all of our wonderful activists and volunteers, who selflessly worked around the clock. We may have lost this battle, but with G-d's help, I have no doubt that we will win the war and establish true Jewish leadership for Israel.

Shabbat Shalom,
The Manhigut Yehudit Team