Let's Pretend: Today's Elections at The Time of the Maccabees

poster

Democracy, elections such as we take for granted didn't take place in ancient times, but human nature and idealism, etc have always existed and haven't changed. There are just different labels, laws and customs. So, I'm going to tell you what I think our ancient heroes, led by Judah the Maccabee would have done if faced with the sort of Knesset Elections we are being faced with this Jewish Year of 5775, (2015 on the goyish calendar.)

A little background on Judah Maccabee:

Judah Maccabee was a fearless leader, a brilliant battlefield tactician and a man capable of inspiring thousands to take up arms in the battle for the preservation of Judaism. It was Judah Maccabee who conceived of ways for the Jewish forces to out-maneuver the larger, better equipped and seasoned Greek army. When at last the Jews captured Jerusalem, rededicated the Temple and witnessed the miracle of the oil, it was with Judah Maccabee as the leader of the Hasmonean family and at the head of the Jewish army of liberation. (Torah.org Who Was Judah Maccabee Anyway? by Rabbi Shimon Apisdorf)

This was a time in Jewish History when we weren't totally independent or sovereign in our Land. Our Holy Temple was in ruins and the Greeks ruled us, not only administratively, but they also forbade the practice of Judaism.

The festival of Hanukka celebrates the military victory of the Judeans over the Hellenist Syrians in the second century BCE, as recorded in the Al Hanissim thanksgiving prayer added to our Amida prayers and Grace after Meals for the eight days of the holiday; the festival also celebrates the ideological victory of Judaism over Greek Hellenism, as symbolized in the kindling of the Menorah, the Holy Temple candelabrum signifying “the illumination which is Torah.” Hence we were engaged in a two-pronged struggle; a national war of independence against the heirs of the military conqueror Alexander the Great, and a spiritual Kulturkampf against the wisdom of ancient Greece, which that same Alexander wished to dominate the entire civilized world at that time.
Moreover, as is clear from the historical writings of Josephus Flavius and the Apocryphal Books of the Maccabees, the enemies who were vanquished were not only the gentile Syrians but also the Jewish secular assimilationists, especially the ruling priestly aristocracy who had become bitten by the “bug” of Hellenistic culture and who wished to transform Judea into a Greek city-state (See Victor Tcherikover, Hellenistic Civilization and the Jews). (Jerusalem Post, Rabbi Riskin)

Their actual aim was the destruction of us as a people united by our Jewish religion.

Our war, the fight of the Maccabees against the Greeks, had to be a battle on two fronts, and there was no compromise. Taking a "Centrist" view would not give us a victory. I have no doubt that Judah the Maccabee would oppose the Likud of Binyamin Netanyahu and also the NRP aka Jewish Home of Naftali Bennett. Moderation under any name was not in his ideological or political lexicon. Judah the Maccabee would also oppose the Chareidi parties, because they only take on religious battles and in principle ignore national and defense issues.

I have no doubt that today's Judah Maccabee would be an active member and supporter of Otzma Yehudit (formerly Otzma LiYisrael,) led by Michael Ben-Ari.

The lesson of the Chanukah story is that compromise with our enemies is dangerous.When someone wants to destroy you body and soul you have to fight on both of those fronts. There is no negotiations. The only political group that understands this is Ben-Ari's Otzma Yehudit!

Knesset Run Scramble- Musical Chairs

I remember some wild "Musical Chairs" games growing up when kids were pushed off their chairs, not much fun. That's good preparation for the Israeli Knesset Elections. There are one hundred and twenty 120 seats for which a few hundred ambitious political wannabes compete.

The fight for the seats isn't always fun.



It can get pretty nasty.



Now the news is starting to fill with "change your partners, do se do" moves among sitting Knesset Members and those who have been impatiently waiting in the wings.

Report: Lapid, Liberman and Kahlon May Cooperate
Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid, Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman and former Minister Moshe Kahlon are considering cooperating with one another in the next elections, Channel 10 News revealed on Wednesday.
According to the report, the three have been discussing ways to cooperate over the past several weeks. This cooperation could come into play after the election with the three parties agreeing to recommend one candidate to serve as Prime Minister, but the three could also work together during the election itself and present a joint front on some issues. (Arutz 7)

That would confirm the long-time rumors about Lieberman's ideological direction and Kahlon's true ideology. They're both more opportunist-ambitious than Right. And Lapid, although firmly to the Left understands Israeli politics well enough to know that he needs the help of the Right, since that's what the Israeli public prefers.

Will Ariel and Yishai Form a New Party?

Arutz Sheva learned on Wednesday that Housing Minister Uri Ariel (Jewish Home) and MK Eli Yishai (Shas) met this week and discussed the possibility of establishing a joint party.Political sources said that the plan is that Ariel and Yishai will split off from their parties with the members of their camp, that is Yishai with six Shas MKs who support him, and Ariel with three MKs from the Tekuma faction in the Jewish Home, and possibly MKs Motti Yogev and Yoni Chetboun as well. (Artuz 7)

Anything is possible when it comes to Uri Ariel, who has a rather fickle political history. And it's no secret that Eli Yishai has been firmly sidelined since the official return to political life of Aryeh Deri.

Miriam Alster/Flash 90

Last night on the bus home, a friend longingly spoke of a return to Knesset of Michael Ben-Ari, of Otzma L'Yisrael. On its own Otzma L'Yisrael doesn't have a chance to get in the Knesset, but if Yishai and Ariel put together a firmly reliably idealistically Right party, I personally would want to see Ben-Ari and his political partner Arieh Eldad in realistic places on it.

I think they'd have a chance to be elected. The Israeli public is sick and tired of Center mush. We want the Right leadership!

Noose Tightens Against Israel, Tightened by Bibi and Obama

How long will it take for Israeli voters to acknowledge that voting for any political party that aims to be in the government coalition is a dangerous mistake?

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Unlike many Likud (including Yisrael Beitenu, Israel is Our Home, which ran with it as a unified party in the last elections) voters and most who voted for Naftali Bennett's NRP aka Bayit Yehudi, Jewish Home Party, I'm not at all surprised that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has done what he swore he would never do. Bibi has agreed to U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama and Fatah-Hamas Abbas's demand that he agree to negotiate with Palestinians sic based on '67 lines. 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told Israel Radio late Thursday that he had agreed to an American framework proposal whereby Israel would negotiate peace with the Palestinians on the basis of the ’67 cease-fire lines with territorial swaps. (Jerusalem Post)

By doing this, he has removed not only Jerusalem neighborhoods like Givat Hamatos, Giloh, Ramot and Pisgat Ze'ev from Israel, but he has also given the Arabs the right to expect Jerusalem's Old City to be theirs. For someone who is supposed to be an excellent and canny chess-player, he sure can't envision too many moves ahead.

American policy is American policy. They promote what they think is good for the United States of America, and they want the support of what they perceive as "moderate Arab states." The fact that such a phrase is an oxymoron has nothing to do with anything. Let the USA do whatever it wants. My complaints are against the Israeli Government, Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu's government coalition.

Israel is supposedly an independent country and has been since the 1949 Armistice, which ended the active fighting between the newly established State of Israeli and the surrounding Arab countries, which had attacked it.

Although the State of Israel has been victorious in all of the wars against us by our Arab enemies, we have had successive governments that beg the United States for support and friendship.  Bibi's acquiescence to American demands is just the latest in a long series of bad policy steps over the decades.

At this point we need brave leaders willing to paralyze the government. First stage should be that all of the truly patriotic Right wing, pro-Jewish Rights to All of the Land of Israel MK's should unite and leave the coalition. If people like Moshe Feiglin and Orit Struk, Tzippi Hotobeli and Naftali Bennett etc. are serious about their claims of loyalty to Jewish Rights here, they must take real steps. Let's see if we have any honesty in those politicians. They must invite former MK's Arye Eldad and Michael Ben-Ari to join them or join Otzma L'Yisrael and establish it as the official opposition on the Right.

I have no further expectations from Netanyahu. He will only get worse for the State of Israel.

There are just hours left before Yom Kippur begins, the day when we intensify our prayers to G-d for forgiveness.

Gmar Chatimah Tovah

May G-d Accept Our Prayers and 

Inscribe us in The Book of Life 

What if? My Post-Israeli Elections 2013 Scenario

In two days, the real polls will be open and the fake ones will take a break. I'm referring to Israel's January, 2013, Knesset Elections.

One thing you can say about the various choices of wannabe party lists for the Knesset this time is that most of the political parties have drafted or primaries-chosen lots of never been MK candidates.  I mean that many people running for the 120 Knesset seats are pretty new of politics and know little of the Knesset Member profession.  I have no doubt that they aren't fully familiar with the actual lack of power that an MK holds, especially when in the government coalition.  There's a "custom" known as "coalition discipline" which restricts free choice in votes and public stands of those in the ruling party or part of the coalition.  That affects ministers, vice (assistant) ministers and ordinary MKs, too.  Add that to the well-known "Yes, Minister" phenomena, and you wonder why they even bothered running for office.


Watch Yes Minister 1.1 - Open Government in Comedy | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com



Watching the show should be required in the training of anyone who wants to get into politics.

So, what scenario keeps spinning around in my mind?

In about half a year, a good few months after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has constructed with some great difficulty his third coalition government, things begin to unravel. 

Bibi and Bennett, who had worked together even before the elections are having a lot of trouble as coalition partners because Bennett's Bayit Yehudi has a number of non-political newcomers as MKs and they have serious problems playing (Likud MK) Tzippi Hotovelli type powerless headline grabbers.  And even Hotovelli is finally bored with the role.

Yes, within the coalition, there's a large group of extremely dissatisfied Right wingers, fervently in favor of full Jewish Rights in all of the Land of Israel.  Moshe Feiglin, Likud,  Orit Strook, Bayit Yehudi-NRP, along with Hotovelli, Jeremy Gimpel and others are disgusted and frustrated with their lack of power and party support.  I can see them joining forces and debating on whether or not to leave their parties and the coalition to start a new party or join with Otzma LeYisrael, which got into the Knesset, even though the polls and pundits had predicted they wouldn't.

The coalition's idealist-rebels are jealous of the freedom to vote their ideology that the Otzma LeYisrael MKs have.  Strook, Feiglin, Gimpel, Hotovelli etc are tired of hearing their supporters saying:

 

"I'll never vote Likud/Bayit Yehudi-NRP ever again! 
It's a totally wasted vote!!!!"

Just imagine...

Same Laws for Jews and Arabs, Please

In a truly democratic and liberal, with a small "L" country, all citizens are treated the same under the laws of the land.  Shouldn't that be the case in Israel, too?

Nu, is it?  No, it isn't.  In Arab towns and cities certain behaviors are allowed that would get Jews into jail.

The only political party that isn't afraid to complain about this terrible and dangerous situation is Otzma LeYisrael, Strength to Israel Party.  And what does our hypocritical extreme Left media and most public leaders and politicians do when the Otzma  leaders, MKs Dr. Arieh Eldad and Michael Ben-Ari, decide to protest the situation?  They condemn Otzma and condone the dangerous to democracy and security situation.

The Otzma leaders and top Knesset candidates led a visit in the Arab town of  Musmus yesterday.

I really don't understand how peace-loving sic Leftists can accept a situation in which Jewish Israelis are persona non grata, life endangered, if they go to Arab neighborhoods, villages and cities here in sovereign Israel. 

If an ordinary Israeli Jew is neither safe nor welcome to walk, shop etc in an Israeli Arab village, how do those Leftists and Centrists and many who call themselves patriotic Right think we can have a true and lasting peace with the Arab terrorists who aren't Israeli citizens?  Food for thought...



Photo Credit: Miriam Alster/FLASH90

Power for Israel MKs Michael Ben Ari (R) and Aryeh Eldad (RC) with party candidates Baruch Marzel (LC) and Aryeh King (L) under their campaign slogan "There are no rights, without duties."

And to remind you, it is the epitome of true democracy, small D, when all citizens are equal under the law of the land.  That is the meaning of Otzma LeYisrael's election slogan, "There are no rights, without duties"  the same slogan that has been labeled "immoral" by the Leftist judges of morality  here in Israel.

If you really believe that all citizens should be treated the same, then the only political party running for Knesset that promotes such a policy is Otzma LeYisrael נץ.

The Snow Comes and Goes, But The Jewish People Will Last Forever!

The snow, under certain circumstances, conditions may seem very impressive, but I certainly wouldn't count on these "hardy" men for security.  I wouldn't rely on them any more than I'd rely on the promises of a politician running for office.

In the Likud campaign ads, I've been watching on television, they keep on using the clip of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu saying in English at the United States Congress or is it in the United Nations General Assembly:

"...But The Jewish People Will Last Forever!"

Yes, he's right in saying that but for the wrong reasons.  Netanyahu is not a religious G-d fearing man.  He was raised by one of the Jewish People's greatest modern historians, Professor Benzion Netanyahu Z"L.  Bibi Netanyahu professes to love studying the Jewish Bible and believes that we will out survive our present enemies, just like our ancestors outlived our ancient ones.  But as an avowed secularist, he can never fully understand why this happens.

To quote my Matan Bible teacher Dr. Yael Ziegler:

"The Bible must be seen as a book of theology."

A non-believer, no matter how otherwise knowledgeable and brilliant, cannot fully comprehend the lessons and stories of the Jewish Bible without a firm belief in G-d and that we Jews are G-d's only Chosen People.

We Jews and our HolyLand survive on G-d's Laws, not the standard "laws of nature."  Yes, G-d is the One Who created nature, but "nature" is for the rest of the world, not for us.

Those of us who truly believe in G-d have one source to go to when we have questions, and we do our very best to follow what G-d wants from us.  For those who do not believe in G-d, every question is a major challenge because advice and instructions come from very complicated and conflicting so-called "experts."  That's why so many politicians are known more for their "flip-flops" than anything else.  And here in Israel, political parties that try to offer a variety of ideologies among their MKs, Knesset Members and wannabes won't give us the true public service we need.  Yes, that's why I'm voting Otzma LeYisrael, Power to Israel in the upcoming Israeli Elections.  Eldad and Ben-Ari won't melt in the heat.

I Vote: Sovereignty Now!

 

One of the biggest surprises in the third Conference for the Application of Sovereignty over Judea and Samaria* was (if I'm not mistaken it was) Elyokim Haetzni's statement that immediately after the 1967 Six Days War the Knesset passed a law that empowers the government to annex, declare Israeli sovereignty over all of the liberated Land, Judea, Samaria, Golan, Sinai (including Gaza) and the Jordan Valley.  The government just has to activate it.

Haetzni's revelation reminds me of Dorothy's ruby red slippers in the Wizard of Oz.  We have had the power all this time and we haven't used it.   And the most annoying thing about the conference was that there were many speakers from the government, from Likud and NRP aka Bayit Yehudi who are ministers and Knesset Members and they have never used their power or risked giving up their seats and/or Volvos (the Israeli symbol of ministerial perks and status) to officially support the Application of Israeli Sovereignty to Judea and Samaria. 

All of a sudden, three weeks before the elections, they rush to get our votes even though we all know that those votes if given will just be used to empower Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to help the Arabs to establish a Palestinian State in the heart of the Land of Israel.  The large hall in the Bayit Vegan hostel was packed with potential voters.  This venue was chosen just before the conference because registration was tremendously higher than expected.

The Application of Israeli Sovereignty to Judea and Samaria conference was organized by Women in Green's Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katzover.  I have no doubt that the "silent majority" of the citizens of Israel agree with their opinions/ideology.

MK Dr. Arye Eldad MD,
Otzma LeYisrael

I'm also horrified that the campaign that "it's a waste of a vote to vote for Otzma LeYisrael because they won't pass the threshold" is gaining.  It seems like almost everyone I speak to believes it to be true.  I also heard it from people at the conference.  Eldad and Ben-Ari are only politicians I feel I can trust, and I also consider it of the utmost importance that there be a Right opposition to the government. 

Otzma LeYisrael is not campaigning to be in the coalition, unlike the NRP-Bayit Yehudi which has been musing about possible cabinet portfolios even during their primaries.  They may as well join Feiglin in the Likud for all the real power they'll hold.  Once subject to coalition or party discipline, they won't have the freedom to vote according to conscience. 

Netanyahu does not poll his ministers or MK's before making decisions.  So remember that a vote for Likud or NRP-Bayit Yehudi  is a vote for Bibi, not for Feiglin, Hotovelli, Elkin, Bennett or any other politician who claims to be pro-Jewish Sovereignty and Jewish Rights in the entire Land of Israel.

Eldad's applause form the audience was overwhelming, but that won't help us if people don't vote for him.  The potential for five seats or more is clear.  Vote with your conscience and give Eldad and party a chance to keep us safe.

*click to watch the entire conference

Latma's "Little Brother, "A Hebrew's Word," and Some Interesting Facts About Bibi and Bennett

Here's a quick moving, fast talking summary of what has been happening in Israeli politics on A Hebrew's Word.



One thing for sure, that Bibi's outbursts prove the adage, "I don't care what they say about me, just make sure they spell my name right!" Probably this saying originated by P. T. Barnum.

Likud Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has done more for the NRP-Jewish Home's Naftali Bennett than their supporters' greatest dreams.  He has given them lots of free publicity and name recognition.  OK, it's possible that it's all in their plan, something Bibi and Bennett have cooked up in their secret kitchen.  I wouldn't put anything past our wily Prime Minister. 

• Did we have warning when Bibi and Mofaz eloped?
• Did we have warning when Bibi and Lieberman eloped?

Think about it...

Bennett and Bibi are old political bedfellows.  Bennett was chief of staff to  Netanyahu as leader of the opposition, from 2006 to 2008.  They are both totally bilingual, Hebrew-English, and could have made successful careers for themselves any place in the world.  They have a lot in common but are a generation apart.  Bennett is young enough to be Bibi's son.

The leaking of Likud support at this stage of the campaign reminds me what what happened in the previous Knesset campaign when Avigdor Lieberman, Yisrael Beiteinu, began making very Right wing statements.  Suddenly his party jumped in the polls at the expense of the Likud.  Netanyahu, most probably, decided to try a new version and made a deal with him to take advantage of the same trick/technique.  The two parties merged prior to the elections, but the Left side-swiped them by suddenly having the Left-controlled justice department courts to threaten indictment of Lieberman for rumors/suspicions over a decade old.  That has distracted Lieberman, and he hasn't been able to play his role in the "good cop, bad cop" scenario/script he and Bibi had written.

Bennett has now started playing the Lieberman role from five years ago and simultaneously take votes from Likud and Otzma L'Yisrael, the Eldad & Ben-Ari party.  The big major difference between NRP aka Bayit Yehudi and Otzma L'Yisrael is that Bayit Yehudi will do pretty much anything to be in the cabinet/coalition while Otzma L'Yisrael has principles  and not dreams of a Volvo aka cabinet seat and perks.  So if principles are what you want from your MK, then vote Otzma L'Yisrael.

Politics is my favorite game, never dull.  We still have just over three weeks to go until elections.  Hold on to your hats....

The Likud Needs Otzma LeYisrael in the Knesset Opposition

For those of us who are concerned with the future of the State of Israel and Jewish Civil and Religion Rights in the entire Land of Israel, it is of the utmost importance that there will be a Right wing parliamentary opposition.  Since the only Right wing, pro-Jewish Rights in the entire Land of Israel Party that is campaigning to be part of the coalition is Otzma LeYisrael, then we must do our best to make sure the party gets the required votes.

Magnet toy: Newton's Cradle

I think of it as physics, the laws of magnets.

• Every magnet, whether large or small, has exactly two poles. At these poles is where the magnetic strength of the magnets is the strongest. Each pole is either north or north-seeking or south or south-seeking. Like objects (such as two north poles of two magnets) repel each other. Unlike objects (such as a north pole of one magnet and a south pole of another magnet) attract each other.

Read more: The Laws of Magnets | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5417270_laws-magnets.html#ixzz2GG7O6nfc

The opposition parties in Israeli government have a lot of power.  They function as a check/balance to make sure the government stays in the middle.  In Israel prior to the 1977 elections, the Leftist Labor Party ruled.  Menachem Begin's Herut and then GaHaL on the Right of the political spectrum kept them in check and prevented the destruction of Jewish communities.  The Leftist Labor could only go so far, because there was a strong Right Opposition.

Once Begin and his Likud were voted into power, the strong opposition was on the Left, and that is one of the reasons that the Israeli "Center" has pulled so far to the Left.  So called Right Likud Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's policies vis-à-vis the Arabs is far to the Left of what was once the Left here.

When Begin made his Peace agreement with Egypt's Sadat, there were a few breakaway MK's and others who formed Tichya and were a vociferous opposition for a short while.  Then they made the mistake of joining the cabinet and opposing Rabbi Meir Kahane's more extreme Right party from running.  They didn't pass the minimum vote threshold in the following elections.  The Moledet Party, further to the Right, did.  On the whole, over the past thirty-five years since Likud won its first election, the Right Opposition has been weaker than the Left.

from the previous elections
You can see the political spectrum from Left to Right

In a few weeks Israel is again having Knesset Elections.  Israelis do not vote for a Prime Minister.  We vote for parties running for seats in the Knesset, our parliament.  Once results are in, the Israeli  President polls the parties to see which party's "number one" has the best chance of negotiating a coalition government.  Then the President asks that MK to attempt to form a government.

Recent polls indicate that the Likud will get the largest number of votes/seats, so Netanyahu will most probably continue as Prime Minister.  Some of the other parties are campaigning that they either hope to make a deal with him or promise that they won't join the government under any circumstances.  Most of the Left wing parties are claiming that they would not work with Netanyahu, but that could just be their campaign, until he ups his offers and reminds them that they would just be forcing him to give the NRP aka Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home) Party more power.

Recent polls keep showing that the NRP is getting more and more support.  Unfortunately, they and the Likud are trying to campaign in certain Right circles by telling people not to vote Otzma LeYisrael, because Otzma LeYisrael won't pass the minimum threshold. And if, G-d forbid, such a thing happens, there won't be a Right Opposition.  All of the ideological/political pull will come from the Right.  It will also mean that Netanyahu will look much further to the Right than he really is, which will cause him to move further Left as he chases the Center in that direction.  I wish I could make up an animation of that...

The Truth is Out, NRP's Bennett, Paraphrased: I Will Do Anything for a "Volvo"

I'm not all that surprised by the way things are going as the Israeli Knesset Elections get closer.  Since a very sizable portion of Israelis are Right and religiously traditional it's no real surprise that the newest version of the veteran National Religious Party aka Bayit Yehudi has pulled into third place according to the latest polls.

A new Channel 2 News and Dr. Mina Tzemach says that if the elections were held today, the Beit Yehudi, national Religious party, would win 12 seats, making it the third largest party in Israel. The rise of the old religious Zionist party is fueled by the mass desertion of Likud voters. The Likud-Beiteinu list, which today holds 42 seats in the Knesset, is down to 35 in Wednesday’s poll.

Straight out of the late Yosef Burg's book, it's new young leader Naftali Bennett hasn't been shy about making it clear that he plans on being in the cabinet.  This is a very central part of the Bayit Yehudi campaign, so Bennett found himself challenged by Bibi and other Likud leaders, a month before elections.

Meanwhile, Likud ministers are continuing to attack Bennett for the statement, following the lead of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who said Friday he would not let people who advocate refusal of orders into his coalition. Saar said in a public interview panel in Holon Saturday that Bennett should never have said what he did. "We live in a country that cannot exist for even one moment without the Israel Defense Force and the IDF's existence depends on carrying out orders from the political echelon," he explained.
"A public figure who serves as a personal example must not talk about refusing orders. That is the difference between an approach that respects the state's sovereignty and one that does not. Placing my own world view before the democratic principle is a very serious matter. This is particularly true in a heterogeneous society like Israel's. The democratic principle and playing by the democratic rules – that is what keeps us together."

I wasn't surprised when Bennett made a special, carefully worded announcement which is meant to placate Netanyahu and buy himself a "Volvo*" in the next Likud led government coalition.

Bennett statement removes Netanyahu ban from serving as minister
Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA 22 December 2012
Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett said in the course of an interview broadcast on Thursday night that if, as a reserve officer, he was given orders to expel Jews or Palestinians from their homes that he would approach his commanding officer and asked to be assigned to a different activity and that if that did not happen then, while he would not tell others to refuse to follow the orders, that he would himself, on a personal level, find it impossible to carry out the order and would accept punishment for that. In an interview on Friday afternoon broadcast Saturday night on Channel 2 television, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu stated that someone who is "adamant on refusing orders" could not serve as a minister in his government.
Tonight, at a press conference, Bennett said that "I did not call for the refusal of orders...I spoke from the bottom of my heart and I do not apologize for my remarks. However, I'm not a private person but a public leader, and now I say this as clearly as possible: a command to uproot an Arab village or Jewish community from its roots is a fatal blow to the most basic of human rights...it is an unbearable dilemma. I pray with all my heart this it will never be given, but if this extreme situation is reached, I say clearly: a soldier must fulfill military orders. "

As has been said about many in Israeli politics:

"Anything for a Volvo.*"

To put it very simply: 

A vote for the NRP-Bayit Yehudi is a vote for Likud

The big difference in the MK's, at least the male ones, is that with the NRP, the kippah is more on the head than in the pocket.

I will certainly admit that the platform of the NRP sounds good. It sounds very similar to that of Otzmah L'Yisrael.  The big difference is that NRP thinks that it can influence the government from the inside.  They claim that being a cabinet minister is important.  They try to give the impression that Netanyahu actually consults with all the cabinet before making decisions.  They want the voters to believe that Netanyahu really cares what the ministers and assistant ministers think.  They are wrong, very dangerously wrong.

The job of the cabinet and the coalition MK's is to support the Government, vote according to party line and not question Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu.  We've just seen now during the election campaign how easily Bibi got Bennett to jump through a hoop.

So, don't waste your vote.  If you really want to change the world, save the State of Israel, then vote Otzmah l'Yisrael!

*Volvo, the chauffeured car, a perk for ministers.  Today there may be a different make of cars, but the meaning is the same.

Will It Really Be Feiglin In and Barak Out?

Xinhua News Agency / eyevine

While most people here in Israel who care about Israel's future and security were busy guessing about the results of the expanded to a second day Likud Primaries, Ehud Barak ברח barach fled from the political scene.  More exactly he announced his retirement from Knesset politics.  If you read his announcement carefully, you'll see that, unfortunately, it doesn't mean that we're finished with him:

Defense Minister Ehud Barak delivered the following remarks this morning (Monday, 26 December 2012):
"Good morning everyone,
The State of Israel has experienced some tough times during the past two weeks, and I am proud to be part of the team that directed Operation Pillar of Defense, both militarily and diplomatically, to its successful conclusion. Fifty three years ago, in November 1959, I enlisted to the IDF and for forty seven years, I have served the people of Israel to the best of my ability. Today I stand before you to tell you about my decision to retire from political life, instead of running in the upcoming Knesset election. I took this decision not without doubts, but ultimately with a whole heart.
I would be lying if I said that the warmth that I felt from the public, and even the positive coverage that I received from some of you [journalists] – not of course from all of you – did not please me. For someone who has not always been spoiled with this [positive media coverage], I know how to appreciate support and was glad to receive it.
Practically, I will finish in my role as defense minister with the formation of the new government in approximately three months. This is the culmination of seven and a half years in this office, two terms under three governments, one of which I was at the head. Years in which, along with others, I led the defense establishment and the IDF, through the rehabilitation after the Second Lebanon War, strengthening our 'long arm' and building our operational capabilities to cope with the Iranian threat for if and when a decision should be made, pushing through the 'Iron Dome' and the multi-layer interception system. And no less important, we secured the nature and depth of the relationship with the US in the operational, political and intelligence spheres.
I am proud that in the last year and a half, alongside important operational achievements, a real spirit of openness and clarity of opinion has returned to the IDF; quiet confidence and modesty, things that have been damaged from time to time in the past.
We restored the essential elements of the ethical code and an uncompromising acceptance of the democratic foundations of our lives here; understanding and internalizing the subordination of the military to the political.
The decision to retire stems from the fact that I want to spend more time with my family, that I have exhausted the practice of politics – something for which I never had any special desire in the first place – and that the fact that there is space to allow for new people to enter senior positions in Israeli politics. Replacing the [personnel] in positions of power is a good thing.
There are many ways to contribute to society and the country; not only politics.
As a former chief of staff and prime minister, as well as the current defense minister, and as long as my council is sought after and received, then I will present it before the prime minister and the heads of the establishment on any diplomatic or military matter, as and when I am requested to do so.
I would like to thank with all my heart the commanders of the IDF, the soldiers in the reserves and of the regular army, the personnel of the ministry of defense and the intelligence establishment, for enabling me to function successfully as minister of defense.
I am proud to stand at the head of [a network of] such wonderful people. I would like to thank the prime minister, members of the government, my devoted friends in the leadership and ranks of the Independence Party, who have all provided me with strength during long hours, every day, with many tough tasks. Thank you to everyone.
For the next three months, we will continue to tackle every challenge together, and I promise you, there will be many challenges."

One thing that he'll be doing for sure is making oodles of money on the lecture circuit.  I remember Natan Sharansky admitting that an advantage of retiring from the Knesset and cabinet was to free him from restrictions on outside income. 

Ehud Barak's defense policy is more in tune with that of Barack Obama's than of mine and others here in Israel such as Otzma L'Yisrael's, Strength of Israel Arieh Eldad and Michael Ben-Ari, or Likud's Moshe Feiglin.

Yes, it does seem that Moshe Feiglin has a very realistic chance of being voted into Knesset.  I have no doubt that he and Tzipi Hotovelli will be used, very effectively, by the Bibi Netanyahu campaign machine to get Right votes.  But mind my words, that does not mean that they will have any real influence on policy. 

Please, don't be naive and trusting.

Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is one of the most consummate and crafty politicians alive today.  He will find a way to use them to attract votes and then isolate totally from power and influence. 

Garden orbweaver with prey

The easy way for him would be to give them an impressive sounding cabinet portfolio with more strings attached than a spider web.

Lietz, Robert 

Bucking Bronco, 1973

Hold onto your hats and expect a very bumpy ride!