***Read the comments, and join in the debate!
This is an elaboration of my reply to Jameel's comment on "Surprise?"
Sorry Jameel and all those putting their trust, faith and votes in the Likud. Even if Moshe Feiglin gets enough votes to be #1, (something that even a Don Quixote would have trouble believing), or Uzi Landau would metamorphose into Oz, strength, I can't see the Likud as the party to change and rescue our nation.
Remember, " רק הליקוד יכול" "only the Likud could" brought us Camp David, when the great gentleman Zionist, Menachem Begin, shocked us all by destroying Yamit and the other Jewish communities in the Sinai and gave its sovereignty to Egypt. And "only the Likud could" support Ariel Sharon as he unilaterally, without getting or even demanding anything in return, just threw away Neve Dekalim, Gush Katif, Northern Shomron and some of the most economically successful agricultural businesses in the history of our country.
Remember that the Likud Central Committee, the same people who supported Sharon, are still the Likud Central Committee. And remember who's still left in the Likud, Mofaz and Sylvan Shalom, those with ambition to just stay in power, no matter what the cost to the nation. And do you think that Limor Livnat, trying out more hairdos than Hillary Clinton, or stiff, sad-eyed Tzachi, or very proper Uzi have the sort of political guts needed burn the chametz out of the Likud? I keep hearing: "Moshe Feiglin, Moshe Feiglin" from some of my friends, neighbors and fellow bloggers. But there's no comparison between him and Peretz's power, machine and charisma that made him victorious in the Labor Party elections.
There is a major revolution happening in Israeli politics. It is just the time to take a fresh look and neither rely on sentiment nor nostalgia. It'll be almost 28 years since the first major Israeli political upheaval when the Likud was voted into power with Begin at its helm, when we have our next elections. In contrast to the situation in 1977, the Likud has been the party in power for most of the past decades. Unfortunately, ever since Begin decided that his role was to "make peace," rather than fully develp our gifts, Our Land and People, the party lost its "vision" and has deteriorated, fatally.
The National Union, Ha'Ichud HaLe'umi, is the successor. It combines a complete range of religious observance in its leadership. It has a clear vision of Jewish values and settling our Land. Its leaders were in the forefront of the struggle against Disengagement. MK Tzvi Hendel, of Tekuma, is himself a Disengagement victim after decades of living in Gush Katif. MK Dr. Aryeh Eldad, of Moledet, and his family lived in one of the communities in the Northern Shomron until the soldiers destroyed it.
We must unify, unite to fight Sharon, and the National Union is the party to support.
4 comments:
Muse; Lets review my comment again:
Israel's system is not kind to minorities, and a majority of one is considered valid enough to destory everything in its path.
I assume we agree on this premise, right? No mention of Feiglin here at all. Israel's democratic majority has brought us some great accomplishments such as Oslo and the Disengagement. Both were evil.
I think we agree so far.
What hope do you see for Israel, by voting for NU, if there's no hope at all for a right-wing/religious coalition?
Let's look at what I wrote. Ignore Feiglin for a moment and corruption in the Likud. I know old time Cherut voters, who now vote Likud. These are the people whose families were part of Herut, Etzel, Lechi...followers of Jabotinsky. There is no way these people are going to suddenly change the way they have voted for years since the inception of the State, and vote for NU. This is a hard fact. Do you agree or disagree with this assumption?
Continuing onwards:
Like it or not, the Likud is not disappearing and will remain with at least 15 seats in any political constellation. Shouldn't we work on trying to keep the Likud rightwards, in the hope that eventually, we'll have a rightwing to work with?
I assume this is what annoyed you. I have no qualms in the slightest with NU, as you probably understand. In fact, there isn't a single plank in their platform I disagree with! However, my question still remains: Lets assume that the Manhigut Yehudit "Feiglinites" all go over to NU. Whats the best case option you see NU getting, even combined with the ENTIRE religious/right-wing? The problem, IMHO, is that even if we all combine together, we will still be lacking the needed majority.
Going back to my original point; since a majority of 61 is a mandate to destroy everything in your path, if the religious/right don't have a chance at a coalition with the Likud, then what chance do we have? What political power will NU have to offer YESHA? If they are out of the coalition, then they have ZERO influence on anything! I grant you that in a normal country, a huge block consisting of more than 1/3 of parliment would be a force reckoning with. However in Israel, if you aren't in the majority coalition, your voice is meaningless.
I've got a good idea - why don't you ignore the Feiglin aspect of my post, and convince me that what I wrote above is incorrect, and please let me know what chance we have in the current election ignoring the Likud, to gain a right/religious majority.
(Unless of course, NU joins Sharon and Kadima to participate in the next round of disengagements).
I eagerly await your reply!
Wow, this is going to be hard to keep track of. You should have made a post of it.
Yes, winner takes all. That's what democracy is all about.
Who says there's no hope for a rightwing religious coalition? I envision it with NU, not Likud as it now stands, or sits.
There are very, very few Etzel Lechi veterans still alive. And even at their peak, there weren't many. Their children are Ehud Olmert, Tzippi Livne, Tzachi Hanegbi and worse. Prof. Yisrael Eldad wasn't in Cherut and wasn't welcomed by Begin. His son is in Moledet.
Yes, the Likud is disappearing and should be replaced by Moledet--NU, by those who care and believe in the importance of Eretz Yisrael.
Now for something you may find outrageous. We may need to strengthen ourselves as a very strong fighting opposition. We have been a weak one, expecting the Likud to be on our side, which was a mistake.
Only the Likud has ever been able to destroy Jewish communities. We must now destroy the Likud.
Hi Batya -
Yes, I should have made a post of it, but I'll let you keep the credit for this round.
Firstly: Who says there's no hope for a rightwing religious coalition? I envision it with NU, not Likud as it now stands, or sits.
Do you honestly, for the upcoming elections, see a rightwing religious coalition consisting ONLY of NU and the religious parties? That seems way too farfetched.
The historical importance of the Likud was that it enabled the real rightwing to carry out its agenda. Yes, most of the Likud is not the rightwing we hope for, but it goes along with us, when we have solid rightwing parties. The problem is that Sharon destroyed the Likud, and we don't have a 66 rightwing/religious MK majority like we've traditionally had since 1977 (excluding 1992).
Since the remainders of the Likud are pareve rightwing, I don't see them joing NU under any circumstances. If we play the numbers game, it would see that we have no choice but to try and move the Likud rightwards.
Lastly, there is no meaning in Israel to a fighting opposition, since the majority here has the mandate to crush and destroy any remaining minority.
So what can we do? I spoke to some friends after shul this morning; the best thing we could come up with is a campaign against Sharon. People need to know that he is a corrupt dictator, and does not have Israel's best interests at heart.
Thats my 2 cents for now.
NU, religious, chareidi and maybe what remains of the LIkud in a coalition.
We, or someone, must make it clear to Marzel and Eidelberg either to join NU or not to run at all.
the Likud has destroyed more Jewish communities than Labor ever. It's always more effective in the opposition, but now it's pretty dead.
Everyone knows that Sharon's corrupt. Remember that this is the country that elected that French criminal Flatto-Sharon.
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