At the request of Israeli Prime Minister and Likud party chairman, Binyamin Netanyahu, the Likud Central Committee postponed its own election date for another twenty months. This goes against the Likud constitution which mandates that the next committee elections be held on February 10th of this year.
It is clear what the thinking was behind the move. Netanyahu knows that if elections are held now, the committee will come out much farther to the right and perhaps angry about the settlement freeze.
Unfortunately for Bibi, the attempt to buy time has not gone unchallenged. Several central committee members have turned to the Tel Aviv district court to overrule the move. The matter will be brought up on January 25th.
Netanyahu held a meeting with Zvi Cohen, Chairman of the Likud’s Elections Committee, discussing various schemes to exclude the right wing, religious, Moshe Feiglin, who finished a strong third, with 12.5% of the vote, in the race for party leadership.
Feiglin was convicted of sedition in 1997 for his non-violent civil disobedience activities in the Zu Artzeinu (this is our land) movement. His position played a critical role in expressing popular opposition to the Oslo “peace process.” Feiglin and Shmuel Sackett, co-founder of the group, were sentenced to nine months imprisonment and one year on probation. They each served six months of their terms, respectively.
After his election as party chairman, Netanyahu promised to fight “criminal and negative” elements in the Likud, but it was unclear if he was referring to Feiglin, specifically.
Bibi was quoted as saying:
“There will not be room in our party for corruption and extremist lawbreaking,” Netanyahu told the Likud faction. “Our party will work to restore its image to the good old days of Menachem Begin…The path of integrity and clean hands must be returned.”
He went on to defend his opinion and define the Likud as a moderate party:
“We in the Likud made a peace agreement with Egypt, we supported the peace agreement with Jordan without reservation, and I as prime minister conducted successful negotiations with the Palestinians, signing a number of incremental agreements.”
September 6, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, A great number of people here in USA belive you as a leader of the people, should not give the land way. The Bible says for you to take back your land and have it secure in Israel’s hands. This is God’s word–Have faith God He will help you. Don’t Let the USA President stir you, they are supposed to defined your Nation instead of threaten you. What is higher than GOD He is always faithful-never does he go back on his word.
Please see to it that the Prime Minister Netanyahu receives this note. Thank you very much.
Carolyn E. Brass
September 6, 2010 at 10:03 pm
I can’t chage GOD’S words. For it is all through the Old Testament, Maybe if you would start in reading the Bible and ask for understanding, wisdom you would know what I am talking about.
Thank you.
Carolyn E. Brass