By Ted Belman
I attended a rally last night organized by Jeremy Gimple and Ari Abromowitz, both of whom are the stars and the energy behind Tuesday Night Live in Jerusalem and both of whom are running to get elected as MK’s representing the Jewish Home Party, formerly the NRP.
Both are very educated and very articulate. They made aliya from American a number of years ago. They are religious Zionists. They have built an enormous following as a result of their TV show and their radio show. They have a facebook page that lists over 270,000 fans, their You Tube page has over 11 million views and their latest video was viewed by 36 million people on cable and satellite television. Very impressive.
Naftali Bennett and Daniel Hershkowitz are both running for the leadership of the Party, known in Hebrew as Bayit Yehudi Party. They were both there and spoke about their visions and values.
They all share the vision of Israel being true to its Torah roots including religion but they emphasize that they want a party and country that is secular friendly, that doesn’t tolerate religious coercion and that embraces all Jews. Thus they have renamed the Party, Jewish Home. They hold that ” A united Israel includes military national or community service for every citizen”. Bennett wants to annex Area C as a first step. Hershkowitz wants to annex all of Judea and Samaria.
While Hershkowitz’s resume is very impressive, he lacks the youth, enthusiasm and charisma of the other three. This is the Party of the future.
From what I can see, this Party is little different from the National Union which is a joint list of three parties including HaTikvah headed by MK Arieh Eldad. I think it imperative that Bayit Yehudi and National Union amalgamate to form one religious Zionist party. Together they presently hold seven seats.
I believe that many Likudniks would abandon Likud and join their ranks. As I understand it, Moshe Feiglin is wedded to the idea of taking over Likud or at least greatly influencing it.
If they mean business, they should join up with the National Union and form a bigger right wing religious party and overtake the treasonous Likud. Most of the religious parties (NRP, Shas) are political prostitutes who will sell themselves for a ministry. The last example of Shas ministers who voted against legalizing Ulpana. The religious right needs to unite to defeat the Likud and its fellow travelers; Labor and Kadima.
As far as Moshe Feiglin, he’s either a phony planted to siphon votes for the Likud or he’s a megalomaniac who thinks that he can reform that rotten party. That’s like building a home out of termite infested or rotten wood. It won’t stand up.
Paul Eidelberg is right but the ruling elitists will never willingly relinquish their stranglehold on power by allowing representational districts will empower the citizens which they fear.
ShyGuy is right, the system is so corrupt that it will take decades to undo the mess:
@ Shy Guy:
I could only respond that electoral districts are the only way to rid Israel of the stranglehold of Israel’s government by the shrinking minority of Post-Zionist elite, who desperately want to be in the good graces of their erstwhile EU tormentor successors of the ‘good-ole’ Pre-Israel, Holocaust and pre-Holocaust days.
The point is that the Israeli-system is rigged, and until the Israeli National Zionists realize that and how to remedy that, they will remain in political exile and oblivion. This needs to be articulated to the “Masses”.
Also – to your point on one-issue parties – this issue of electoral reform is really a sore point with a broad cross-section of the Israeli public. If it became a major plank in a parties platform and was explained to the ignored benighted masses of “Otef Azza” (basically the forlorn inhabitants within Gaza artllary range) one could raise a groundswell of support.
Pinchas Said:
Perhaps a single issue party that makes this the central platform and welcomes all who support this platform will win. There is much dissension on other issues with those who support Jewish right to settle all of Israel.
@ Shy Guy:
I could only respond that electoral districts are the only way to rid Israel of the stranglehold of Israel’s government by the shrinking minority of Post-Zionist elite, who desperately want to be in the good graces of their erstwhile EU tormentor successors of the ‘good-ole’ Pre-Israel, Holocaust and pre-Holocaust days.
The point is that the Israeli-system is rigged, and until the Israeli National Zionists realize that and how to remedy that, they will remain in political exile and oblivion. This needs to be articulated to the “Masses”.
Also – to your point on one-issue parties – this issue of electoral reform is really a sore point with a broad cross-section of the Israeli public. If it became a major plank in a parties platform and was explained to the ignored benighted masses of “Otef Azza” (basically the forlorn inhabitants within Gaza artllary range) one could raise a groundswell of support.
@ Shy Guy:
agreed
alexander ‘the great’ proceeded to just cut the gordian knot and not to try to untangle a mess.
i had hopes that feiglin might do just that…
obviously, a ‘mutiny’ as you say is not something advertised “for all interested, to show up for the ‘mutiny’ which is going to take place…” and were that to happen…as you said,
..just move on folks, nothing to see here…
Robert_K Said:
One issue parties are a failure, especially such a complicated issue requiring so much fine tuning and explanation to a population which isn’t even smart enough to recognize the existing major politicians for the fakers that they all are.
Try realism.
the phoenix Said:
Then you’re wrong but close. What the Likud needs is a mutiny. You accomplish zilch whining from the bleechers.
@ Shy Guy:
That was the mother of all Freudian slips, shy guy.
I obviously meant to say “rearranging the deck chairs on board the Likud-titanic ship”…
@ Shy Guy:
@ Shy Guy:
Shy Guy, you still haven’t shown me that either Manhigut Yehudit (Moshe Feiglin) or Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home Naftali Bennit, Daniel Hershkowitz) or for that matter Ihud Leumi(Yaakov Katzele) have gotten Professor Paul Eidelberg’s message – that is to run on the message of Knesset electoral reform front and center. Otherwise you are just beating your head against a wall. I haven’t seen yet any indication that any of these parties and personalities have seen the error of their ways. Shy Guy, if you ever see any of these people, would you ever confront them with the error of their ways?
For now I wouldn’t hold my breath.
@ Arnold Harris:
Where are you going to find such a party? It does not exist and if it did exist, it won’t get elected.
@ NormanF:
We must face some basic facts. For much of the religious elements in Israel the modern secular state is illigitimate. The most extreme are frankly out and out anti zionist.
Israel is the future
Viable political parties of the future are all well and good, in the future.
But what Israel needs right now is a political party that will:
1) Initiate the permanent annexation of the 72% of Shomron and Yehuda encompassed by Oslo Accords Area C, plus some small but strategically important patches of land in Oslo Accords Area B. No further useless and endless talk. Just do it.
2) Use military attacks and other means to destroy the underground nuclear enrichment centers in Iran before that country has the means to attack Israel with nuclear weapons; and, if possible, to cause the overturn of the present IslamoNazi regime in Isran.
Right now means exactly what it says.
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI
The basic problem is as long religious Zionists play sectoral politics no one will pay any attention to them.
BB and his cohorts won’t run the Likud forever.
You need to be able to influence a mainstream party’s direction. This means an ideology, recruiting candidates, supporters and lots of money.
Israel’s problems won’t be solved by Feiglin. But at least he offers a roadmap for the Zionist Right in Israel. Has any one else done anything more than complain and stamp their feet?
Like the Americans said, if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. Israel is still stuck with the affects of a disastrous paradigm that will take decades to undo.
In the meantime, those who love the Land Of Israel have to take the long march through the country’s institutions and change them. The work will never be done – there will always be new horizons to conquer. Now is not the time for Zionists to set their sights low and give up but to do the exact opposite.
Such is life.
the phoenix Said:
You are confused. There is indeed a party named Kadima. There is indeed a parallel between Kadima and a sinking ship. The Likud is not Kadima but if there was enough pressure from inside the Likud, Netanyahu would follow in Sharon’s footsteps and form Kadima II – the Sequel.
Pinchas Said:
It doesn’t work when all the right wingers wander off and form their own little backbench parties. Have fun shouting in frustration, while stamping your feet and gnashing your teeth. That really worked well for the last 60+ years, hasn’t it?!
@ Shy Guy:
Shy Guy I read the link and it says nothing new. The Feiglin strategy is not working, if you believe otherwise tell me how. It is theory and not proven. Everyday the Likud moves further to the Left and is today left of where Rabin was 10 years ago. The entire conflict is about the Land of Israel and our rights to live on it. This time I am going with a party that makes this their central platform.
I have followed feiglin’s movement and indeed his platform had everything about it that just screamed “this is ought on!, this is the ‘real deal’, etc”.
I tried to understand more about the man . As I perceived him to be, he would put the interests of Israel above and beyond any political aspiration…
In a laconically fashion, yamit warned me that his feelings about feiglin are ‘rather negative’….
Now, in front of our eyes it becomes blatantly obvious that ‘Likud’, is a fig leaf for a bunch of leftists…
So like you Ted, I am wondering what on earth is feiglin doing still rearranging the deck chairs on board the kadima-titanic ship?
Was yamit right all along?
Gimple and Ari Abromowitz are already corrupted as is Uri Urbach. Hershkowitz like all previous leaders of NRP is more concerned with his position as head of a small party and his ministerial Position than any Jewish or nationalist principles. As long as these microbes are in political positions of power it’s the same as having the Likud and BB run the country. Their aim is not to lead but at best to influence and they are as presently constituted only an insignificant appendage to the ruling majority. They will sell their mothers for a dime or shekel and will not as they have so far demonstrated protect the Land of Israel.
Their continued presence as members in good standing in the Likud run coalition despite all BB has done to weaken and screw the settlers and settlement project.
As the Jewish Home Party has so far demonstrated, they can be bought politically and will aid in the fire-sale of Y&S, when it’s put on the block.
Singer & Gimpel TV Show 12 – Christian Zionist support for Israel?
Singer and Gimpel Show 22 – America in the Bible?
@ Pinchas:
Read the latest Manhigut Yehudit weekly update (in Hebrew), starting in the middle of page 2, to see what Ted’s and your repeated mistake is.
@ Robert_K:
You’re putting the cart before the horse. You have to be in power first before you can change the rules.
I hate to be a naysayer but it is all for naught as long as there are no district elections with Knesset members individually accountable to the constituents in their district and not to their party bosses, as is presently the case. Professor Paul Eidelberg has constantly raised this issue but it seems to fall on deaf ears even among the nationalist and religious nationalist Zionists. You therefore have a situation that Bashir Assad would envy – a minority Post-Zionist elite (Israel’s analogue to the Alawite Baathists) ruling over a Zionist majority (Israel’s analogue to the Sunni Muslim majority) without them even noticing Israel’s lack of democracy.
My question is: What will it take for Moshe Feiglin, Daniel Hershkowitz, Naftali Bennet… to realize that the first major step is the above-mentioned electoral reform?
I am leaving the Likud for this party. Where is Feiglin and what is he saying? I gave a chance to his strategy but I don’t see it working. When the PM can order all Likud members how to vote than I don’t see the point to staying with Likud anymore. Bennet articulates quickly and strongly the principles of the Land for Israel movement in a very positive manner. I believe the party deserves a chance. But we will have to wait and see how effective they are.
This is a very positive thing. It seems that these individuals are all very sincere and serious about getting things done and getting them done RIGHT. We must prey that they succeed, (and get involved in promoting such).
NOW the REAL CHALLENGES will be:
A)That they should not allow themselves to become corrupted by the political establishment.
B)If the Left will not be able to mussel them into subservience.
C)(THE BIG ONE) If the Religious and Nationalist parties will (Miraculously) grind their self-serving “Axes into Plowshares” for the sake of Unity and to save the country from self-imploding in the coming years???