|
|||||||||
|
Authentic Jewish Leadership For Israel |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Worth Reading Who Won the Witch
Hunt and Why? Vitaly Vovnoboy is a Manhigut Yehudit member
and Likud activist from Karnei Shomron Two weeks have passed since newly elected Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu's misguided attempt to eliminate Moshe Feiglin and Manhigut Yehudit from the Likud. Now that the witch-hunt seems to have ended, we can analyze the battle that, in my opinion, ended with 3.5 points for Feiglin and 0 for Netanyahu. Here's why: Our first victory is the very fact that Manhigut Yehudit remained in the Likud. The hopes of our political and ideological adversaries that they would succeed in eliminating us from the party or that we would quit of our own accord were dashed. Manhigut is staying in the Likud and will take part in the elections for the Likud Knesset slate. It will support those Likud MKs that voted against the disengagement and those that remained loyal to the ideals of the Likud and of the Land of Israel. With G-d's help and with our help, they will receive significant representation in the Likud list. In particular, we hope that Manhigut members Michael Fuah and Asyah Anatov will be elected. In addition, Manhigut Yehudit will ensure that the Likud MKs will remain loyal to the Land of Israel. This is a test that both the Likud and Manhigut Yehudit have already successfully passed. Today nobody can claim that Manhigut is a foreign implant in the Likud. Bibi was forced to admit this when he specifically said that his proposed anti-corruption legislation is not aimed against Moshe Feiglin. Our second victory is in the fact that not only will Moshe Feiglin remain in the Likud, but he also remains eligible to be elected as chairman of the Likud. The chief aim of Bibi's manipulative scheme was to prevent Moshe Feiglin from running in the future for chairmanship of the Likud. After Moshe's achievements in the primaries, Bibi did all he could to personally demonize him. The purpose was to place Moshe's public activism outside the boundaries of the law and the Likud. Limor Livnat headed this mudslinging campaign for the last two years. The leaders of the anti-Feiglin movement in the Likud tried to use the authority and power of the newly elected Netanyahu to silence those central Likud figures that dared defend Moshe Feiglin. They succeeded only partially. We witnessed a number of personalities who feigned allegiance to Manhigut Yehudit but fell into the anti-Feiglin trap and joined the mudslinging campaign. This too, is for the best, as it has revealed their true character. On the other hand, though, we saw the courage and integrity of those Likud leaders and Central Committee members that firmly stood on the side of justice and defended Moshe through thick and thin. Some of them do not agree with Manhigut Yehudit's ideology and we often debate them on various issues. But these are internal Likud discussions that just emphasize the fact that Manhigut is an indivisible part of the Likud and that Moshe Feiglin is one of the Likud ideologues and de facto leaders. Our third victory: In this struggle, which was harder than the struggle against Sharon specifically because it was waged against people who are closer to Manhigut ideologically, we showed our political maturity. When Moshe Feiglin withdrew his candidacy he reiterated the fact that Manhigut Yehudit's ideology is more important than personal ambition. This helped Moshe to disprove the argument that he is a political extremist. The ability to forgo personal ambition for the sake of the long-term goals of his movement certainly proves his political astuteness and integrity. And now to the half victory: It is no secret that Moshe Feiglin agreed to be a candidate for the Knesset due to pressure by his Manhigut Yehudit colleagues. In hindsight, we see that Moshe was right. The fact that he will not be running for the Knesset will give Manhigut Yehudit the resources to focus on its main goal and long-term directions. It will also reduce the friction between Manhigut and the other candidates, preparing the ground for cooperation with them in the future. In my opinion, both Manhigut Yehudit and Moshe Feiglin emerged from this battle stronger and more mature. We still have a long way ahead of us and more obstacles to overcome until we reach our goal of belief based leadership for Israel. There are those people who bombastically display their failures as successes. And sometimes, what may at first glace seem to be a failure is in fact the true triumph.
|
|
