Some of you may recall that nearly two years ago, I argued that the real winner of the Likud primary in 2008 was not the current Prime Minister, but Moshe Feiglin, who managed to push more Right-leaning candidates up the slate in the Likud. While Netanyahu eventually managed to push Feiglin himself off the slate, and to get the Likud Central Committee to vote itself a long-term existence (which he may now be regretting), he did not succeed in undoing Feiglin's efforts to cause a fundamental shift to the Right in the Likud. That shift is on display now.
Members of the nationalist camp within the central committee are passing around a petition in support of MKs and ministers who oppose the freeze. The initiative began Thursday night, and already more than 280 members of the committee and Likud branch heads have signed on.
Organizers hope to get signatures from the majority of Central Committee members.
Copies of the letter will be sent to Likud politicians who voiced their opposition to a second ban on construction for Judea and Samaria Jews, with the aim of assuring them that by opposing their party's leader, they will have earned their party's support.
“This week, when a demand to renew the freeze in Judea and Samaria was made public and we needed your help as our loyal representative in the government, you were there for us,” the letter states. “We the undersigned will not forget this; when you need our help as loyal party members, we will be there for you.”
In June, the Central Committee voted unanimously in favor of resuming construction in Judea and Samaria when the original 10-month freeze expired.
Netanyahu is not Arik Sharon and he will not go and start his own party, nor will he join Kadima, where he would be second fiddle to Livni (or third to Livni and Mofaz).
Heh.
optimism is a good thing... but even Likud can be infiltrated by an enemy camp. I hope Carl is right here.
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