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Israel's Political Cartel: By Moshe Feiglin |
Translated from Moshe Feiglin's article on the NRG website. Sivan, 5768 June, '08  How could it be that the public does not
consider Tzippy Livni corrupt? As of now, she is the most popular
alternative to lead the Kadimah party. And the Kadimah party itself is not
doing all that badly in the opinion polls. How could it be that the Israeli
voter does not recognize the intrinsic corruption of Kadimah? After all, the
party was founded by stealing the votes of the Likud voters. Who is more
corrupt? A politician who received cash in an envelope or a politician who
promises to carry out policies and then takes the votes of the people who
believed in him to a different party with a different ideology? Why do
envelopes filled with cash shock us while use of our votes to implement
ideology opposed to what we believe in doesn't register in our heads as
corruption? The only explanation that I have for this phenomenon is that the public has concluded that there is no real difference between the Likud, Labor and Kadimah. There used to be a clear distinction between the Likud and Labor. In 1981 the Likud had 48 Knesset seats. But ever since then, the Likud has been in a constant process of changing its ideology. Common political knowledge always held that the majority of votes are in the center. It could be that this was once true. But the Israel Democracy Institute has recently conducted a poll showing that 34% of Israelis now define themselves as being to the right of the Likud while 22% define themselves as extreme Right. In other words, by leaning toward the Center, the Likud has surrendered the ideology that brought it 48 Knesset seats. Besides the loss of votes, though, the "Centralization" of the Likud has created a much more serious problem. The public has lost hope and no longer differentiates between the large parties. "It's all just a lot of talk," the frustrated Israeli voter says to himself. "In the end they all do the same thing." If these are the rules of the Israeli political game, then Tzippy Livni is not really corrupt. After all, everybody knew when they voted Likud that no matter what happens, they will get one variation or another of leftist ideology. If that is the case, then there is no problem with taking the Likud votes to a different party, as nobody had any ideological expectations of the Likud in the first place. In effect, the Centralization of the Likud means that while Israelis can still vote for whichever politician they prefer, they cannot choose between different ideologies. Israel is suffering from an ideological cartel. When we vote Left we get Left, and when we vote Right, we get Left or double Left. The most obvious example of the loss of our democratic right to choose between ideologies is the national unity government. When the Left wins the elections by a miniscule majority, it doesn't even think of bringing the Likud into its governing coalition. But when the Likud wins the elections, it immediately runs to add the Left to its governing ranks. At this point, Bibi has already made it clear that if elected, his Defense Minister would be none other than Ehud Barak. A national unity government is an ideological cartel, formed to neutralize the voters. In effect, it neutralizes democracy. There are laws against economic cartels. But political cartels promise their members a rosy political future. Not only did the Likud's Centralization rage shrink the party – it eliminated Israel's democratic essence. The first step that must be taken to restore the public's democratic choice is to allow the public to vote for an ideological – and not merely personal – alternative. If the Likud wants not only to rule but to actually foster a much needed change in Israel, it must return to its original ideological identity. Keep up to date with
our latest articles and audio updates |
| Getting Stronger Every Day: An Interview with Moshe Feiglin |
 The following is an excerpt from a recent
Front Page interview with Moshe Feiglin. The interviewer is Dan Rabkin of
FrontPageMagazine.com.Rabkin: If the polls are to be believed and the Likud win the next general election, what role do you see yourself playing in that government? Feiglin: In a nutshell, in Israeli elections you don’t vote for a person, you vote for a party. Based on what share of the vote your party gets, you get a certain number of people from your party’s list in the Knesset (Israeli Parliament). I plan on getting a high enough spot on the Likud’s list to get a seat in the Knesset. After you are in the Knesset your spot on the list doesn’t matter. I am not sure though that I would want to be a government minister. I am talking about a revolution in Israel, but if I accept a cabinet position under a leadership that will continue in the same direction, I will end up being a part of the problem instead of part of the solution. So I am not sure at all that I want to be a minister. I want to be Prime Minister. Rabkin: Israel is in serious trouble today. What needs to be done to turn things around? Feiglin: The problem is much more than Olmert not giving the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) an order. Not that I like Ehud Olmert, believe me, I am not one of his fans. But the problem is much bigger. The problem is our mentality. Since Rabin’s handshake, the entire state of Israel marched into a state of mind of pragmatism and non-spirituality. We don’t need more F-15s and F-16s from America. That is not our problem. What we need is to march back into the right state of mind. And for that we need leadership. True, authentic leadership based on Jewish values. A leadership for Israel that believes in the God of Israel. Look at Olmert and many of the other leaders of Israel today. They can’t even explain to their own kids why we established the State of Israel to begin with. Olmert’s kids are not in Israel (Olmert’s son Shaul lives in New York and has been associated with anti-militaristic left-wing groups. His other son, Ariel, studies French Literature at the Sorbonne in Paris). The same thing is true of our other current leaders. What we need is a Jewish Revolution to take back the leadership - and it has already begun. We are growing stronger every day. Last August the Likud held primaries, a race that was not only going to define the leader of the Likud party, but also the next Prime Minister of Israel. Every fourth Likudnik, your average Israeli, voted for me. And do you know what my slogan was in that race? “Feiglin – Because He Has a G-d”. And let me tell you something else - in the next primaries I will win. I say this because the concept of Jewish leadership, leadership that will lead the State of Israel in the name of G-d, leadership that will lead the State of Israel with Jewish values, leadership that knows where it comes from and where it is going, real Jewish leadership, is picking up steam and cannot be stopped. This totally new concept, which is being attacked from all sides, is gaining more and more popularity. And believe me, it will continue. We cannot lose, we cannot stop going in this direction, because without Jewish leadership there is no hope. No hope for Israel and no hope for the entire Jewish Nation. I say the entire Jewish Nation because whatever happens in Israel immediately reflects back on all Jews worldwide. When the Jews in Gush Katif were dragged from their homes, what happened to the level of anti-Semitism worldwide? It went up of course. Israel did what the world expected of us and anti-Semitism went up. When we defied the world and did what we had to do in 1967, the level of anti-Semitism dropped. Suddenly every Jew on the streets of Toronto and New York was proud to be a Jew. So you see, what happens in Israel immediately affects all Jews worldwide. A proud Israel with real Jewish faith, that knows what it stands for, impacts on every Jew. Manhigut Yehudit needs your help now more than ever. You can help to get our message out. Support Manhigut Yehudit, print out this update and distribute it in your community, arrange a Manhigut Yehudit lecture in your community, and tell your friends about the fast-growing Jewish Leadership alternative. For information call:
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| L'chatchilah Returns |
 Be sure to get your copy of the renewed
L'chatchilah newsletter. This newsletter was the first tool used by the
budding Jewish leadership movement to reach the public with its ideas. Young
Manhigut Yehudit leader Shai Malkah will start by publishing the renewed
L'chatchilah once a month. We hope that the newsletter will provide our
ever growing community of supporters with an effective stage for discussion
and new ideas. L'chatchilah will be distributed in synagogues
throughout Israel. |
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would like to check your membership status, just email us at:
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| Torah Sparks: Shavuot |
 Before G d gave the Torah to the Jewish people, He demanded guarantors. The Jews made a number of suggestions, all rejected by G d, until they declared, "Our children will be our guarantors that we will cherish and observe the Torah." G d immediately accepted them and agreed to give the Torah. |
| Manhigut Yehudit The Jewish Leadership Movement Email: office@jewishisrael.org Web: www.jewishisrael.org Tel: 02-996-1123 (Israel); 516-295-3222 (USA) |
| Our Aim: To perfect the world in the Kingdom of the Almighty
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Jerusalem Day saw thousands of Jewish
youths dancing through the streets of Jerusalem and even bringing
the joy of the Six Day War liberation of Jerusalem to towns
throughout Israel. But Jerusalem has never been more threatened than
today. Even when the Romans besieged the city, it was clear that the
Jews would fight for it to the death and that even if they would
lose, they would return to rebuild it. Even when Rabbi Yochanan Ben
Zakai asked for no more than Yavneh and its wise men, it was clear
that the Jews had not unilaterally given up on Jerusalem. Even
during the War of Independence, when Jerusalem fell and was possibly
even abandoned by the official leadership, it was a no choice
situation. 