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Jan 1, 2015
what happened to Moshe Feiglin
As of this writing, it is still unclear exactly what spot Moshe Feiglin won in the Likud primaries. It is clear though that he fell dramatically to an unrealistic spot, based on even the most optimistic predictions of the eventual election results.
I liked Feiglin, and this is a shame. I thought he basically did a pretty good job in his term as MK. He was unique, he did not do anything too crazy or extreme, he was thoughtful, he got involved in issues in ways that surprised people (e.g. medical marijuana, homosexual rights, etc), and I think the Knesset, and the Likud, will be lacking without Feiglin.
My initial thoughts of why Feiglin dropped so much:
I think Feiglin dropped because of the success of Habayit Hayehudi and Naftali Bennet. Feiglin started his process in the Likud when Mafdal was a tiny and barely influential party. Feiglin saw that the only way for religious and right wing people to be influential is to join the ruling party and not to be involved in the smaller sectorial parties. So, many people who might have naturally supported Mafdal over the years followed Moshe Feiglin to the Likud. They saw him as the ticket to power and influence for the right wing and religious ideology.
What happened now is that Bennet has brought the Mafdal back to being a player. Habayit Hayehudi under Bennet is an influential and powerful party. And they are continuing to grow. And they have changed from being a purely sectorial party for Religious Zionists, to being a newer version of the Likud. Likud 2.0 perhaps. Habayit Hayehudi has secular members, sefardi, ashkenazi, religious, and even Arabs.
All those people, I think, who have supported Feiglin's bid in the Likud, now no longer see a reason to. They see their own more natural home to be welcoming and promising. Habayit Hayehudi is now a place they can feel comfortable in, and even see it as the route to influence. And that is why Habayit Hayehudi has had such a successful campaign registering new members. And I think that is what happened to Feiglin - he was a victim of Habayit Hayehudi's success.
I liked Feiglin, and this is a shame. I thought he basically did a pretty good job in his term as MK. He was unique, he did not do anything too crazy or extreme, he was thoughtful, he got involved in issues in ways that surprised people (e.g. medical marijuana, homosexual rights, etc), and I think the Knesset, and the Likud, will be lacking without Feiglin.
My initial thoughts of why Feiglin dropped so much:
I think Feiglin dropped because of the success of Habayit Hayehudi and Naftali Bennet. Feiglin started his process in the Likud when Mafdal was a tiny and barely influential party. Feiglin saw that the only way for religious and right wing people to be influential is to join the ruling party and not to be involved in the smaller sectorial parties. So, many people who might have naturally supported Mafdal over the years followed Moshe Feiglin to the Likud. They saw him as the ticket to power and influence for the right wing and religious ideology.
What happened now is that Bennet has brought the Mafdal back to being a player. Habayit Hayehudi under Bennet is an influential and powerful party. And they are continuing to grow. And they have changed from being a purely sectorial party for Religious Zionists, to being a newer version of the Likud. Likud 2.0 perhaps. Habayit Hayehudi has secular members, sefardi, ashkenazi, religious, and even Arabs.
All those people, I think, who have supported Feiglin's bid in the Likud, now no longer see a reason to. They see their own more natural home to be welcoming and promising. Habayit Hayehudi is now a place they can feel comfortable in, and even see it as the route to influence. And that is why Habayit Hayehudi has had such a successful campaign registering new members. And I think that is what happened to Feiglin - he was a victim of Habayit Hayehudi's success.
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For sure! The think I admire(d) about Moshe was his long term marathon running effort. He did not give up when he 'failed'. He set out on a goal (to be PM) and did not let failure and the media force him to give up. Evidently, Bennet and Shaked saw this and how hard it would be to overcome Bennet and the inferiority complex of the Likud, and jumped to Bayit Yehudi to easily wrestle control of that floundering party. Feiglin could not do that - his true right-wing image precedes his political run for the Knesset and Bennet has virtually all the right stuff to make the DLs proud - white, serving in elite combat unit, successful businessman, not too religious, and incredible PR adviser.
ReplyDeleteFeiglin (and Carpel) should go down in history for bringing back pride in Jewish Leadership. I hope we will continue to hear more from Moshe.
White? Of all the characteristics that do NOT play much part among Religious Zionists, I would say it is one's eidah/"ethnicity". Probably about half of my friends are married to someone from another eidah. If you spend much time in any large yeshivat hesder, you will see the beit midrash is populated by a healthy mix and representation of all Israeli eidot. White is important among haredim. It was important to the Labor Zionish elite. It certainly is not a factor in the Religious Zionist community.
Deleteof the top 20 in the Likud by the new list, 8 are mizrachi. that is not a "white" list.
DeleteEmet. I was only focussed on the comment that 'white' is one of the things that makes DLs proud. Disgusting idea, and simply not true.
DeleteIn fact, it was the mizrahim whose votes put Mr. Begin in power in '77. Herut, and later Likud, always had a greater respect for the breadth of Am Yisrael.
The truth is that the entire tactic used by Feiglin was underhanded and unethical in the first place. The Likud was not the natural home for him, but he encouraged many who do not agree with the Likud policies (at least as they stand in the past five years) to register in order to vote him in to a likely Knesset seat. He did this because he knew that the extreme right wing parties, his natural home, struggle to pass the election threshold. Many, if not most, of those who voted for him in Likud primaries would not even vote Likud in the general elections. If he indeed does not get a realistic spot on the Likud list, that is just matters reverting to the way they should be.
ReplyDeleteNothing underhanded about it. Feiglin was always open and clear about what he wanted to accomplish. He is a believer in the idea that fewer parties would accomplish more, and that accomplishing anything serious in national politics likely has to be done from within the framework of a big party. Very much and American model where one either gets things done from within a party, or at least through lobbying. Lobbying doesn't work in Israeli politics because it isn't representative; so the only option is to work within a big party and try and change its direction. That 's what Feiglin was doing doing, and was always honest about it.
DeleteIt is indeed debatable how much of Moshe Feiglin's strategy was "infiltrate the primaries" vs. "join the only game in town." The established Likudniks were only too happy to perpetuate the accusations of these outsiders doing something "immoral" - to keep them out. And ironically Moshe's followers are also more likely to be honest in politics than those telling them the message!
DeleteIt is a shame that the bigger message, of participating in a big party since it ultimately represents you, didn't fully take hold. Of course the games that the established Likudniks play are enough to scare most anyone away....
If those who joined the Likud to support Feiglin had voted for the Likud in the general elections, I would not have any problem with it. While I do not have any firm numbers concerning this, there are ample anecdotal reports that those who joined in order to vote for him in the primaries took their Knesset votes elsewhere.
Deletesome did and some did not.
Deletein my opinion:
it is immoral to join a party just to vote in the primaries to support a specific candidate with absolutely no intention of supporting that party in the general elections.
It is not immoral to join a party, even to support a specific candidate in the primaries, but with intention to support that party as well in the elections. And then after the primaries one could say he doesnt like the results of the primaries and wont vote for them.
there are plenty of both in Feiglin's situation
If Menachem Begin were head of the Likud would you be more likely to vote for it versus what it has to the offer today?
DeleteIf you prefer to support a large party that leads the country, and are even tempted to vote for it, is it legitimate to get involved and influence the primaries - or are you required a la ethics to let the existing members keep voting it into two-state solutions and cronyism?
Rafi, are Americans voting with absentee ballots immoral? IMO, they are in the same boat. At the end of the day, they do not live in the country to which they voted.
DeleteI dont think so. The law allows for absentee voting without qualification. I am not even sure what the comparison is. perhaps what might be comparable is a foreigner who becomes a US citizen just so he can vote in the elections absentee and influence elections that have nothing to do with him.
Deletethen again, I dont think even that si comparable. maybe a republican becoming a member of the Democrat party in order to have a vote in the primaries but with no intention at all of voting for any Democrat candidate, but just wants to vote the for the weaker candidate to give the Republican candidate a better chance.
anyways, a US citizen living abroad is far from unaffected by the election of a US president. We file (and sometimes pay) taxes despite living abroad, we are affected by some of the policy issues... as long as the law allows for absentee voting, why should I not offer my voice (by way of vote) in saying what I think the US policy should be?
I dont think your comparison is a good one
Both the Revisionist movement and Herut have a tradition of openness under certain basic beliefs. Unlike the socialists, Jabotinsky believed that it was not necessary for a Jew to subscribe to a certain political system or doctrine to belong. He held that supporting a Jewish State in Eretz Israel was, as it were, the single flag (חד נס) to support.
DeleteWen some members of the movement wanted to oust Abba Achimeir, saying that he was too right-wing ("The only thing right of me is the wall."), Jabotinsky insisted he still be included; there was room for all.
The contemporary Likud has deviated from this principle significantly. It seems one has to be a "ben/bat shel" order to be taken seriously.
Especially given what you said, about how you ex-pats living overseas still affected by US policies, well the exact same logic is in the Likud primaries. The Likud has and will play an important part in the Israeli government no matter who I vote for. It is therefore in our best interests to join the Likud and influence the make up of their list.
Deletegood points. definitely something to think about and reconsider. I think there is a difference in the examples, but I cant spell it out it just yet
DeleteBy reading all the comments here, it is easy to surmise the truth which is that politics in itself (worldwide) is an unethical 'game'. Feiglin is right that he thinks that you need to join one of the 'winning' parties in order to get anywhere. The little parties (the religious & idealistic ones) are usually the only honest ones in town, but the powers that control will not allow them to get to first base. Nothing can really work; it is all leading to the Geulah where we then first have the true leadership.
ReplyDelete