The Sunday meeting has now taken place. Netanyahu wants to Dilute power of Likudniks in settlements.
Sources close to Netanyahu said the numbers of committee members from the West Bank rose artificially due to an outdated rule passed in 1992. The rule sets the number of committee members from Judea and Samaria based on how many people in the region voted Likud in the last election.
In other regions, the committee member totals are based on the region’s voter registration drive.
Apparently, The prime minister is apparently concerned Judea and Samaria residents will use the committee to put obstacles before his future diplomatic moves. In the first three months after the new committee is elected, its members will be permitted to change the party’s constitution with a simple majority, rather than the two-thirds majority required most of the time.
PM scrambling to stop hawks from over-taking Likud
By GIL HOFFMAN, JPOST
11/24/2011 21:17
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will convene top Likud officials and advisers on Sunday to strategize how to prevent residents of Judea and Samaria and other hawks from obtaining too much power in the party.
More than 100,000 Likud members will be eligible to vote on January 31 to elect members of the party’s influential central committee. In the first three months after that race, the committee is permitted to change the party’s constitution with a simple majority, rather than the two-thirds majority required most of the time.
Netanyahu has done everything possible to delay the vote, which was supposed to take place shortly after the 2009 general election. He went to several courts, including the Supreme Court, to get the vote postponed.
Hawks in the party used the time to register as many Likud members as possible in Judea and Samaria in an effort to shift the party to the Right. Meanwhile, Netanyahu barely signed up any new members who would be loyal to him.
Only three weeks ago did Likud MKs warn Netanyahu that he could lose control over the party if he did not take immediate action. He began legal proceedings to change the method of selecting central committee members, which would require a court order to delay the January 31 vote again.
Netanyahu wants to change a party rule that sets the number of central committee members from Judea and Samaria based on how many people in the region voted for Likud in the last election. The rule was set when most of the settlers voted for parties further to the Right, but in the last election, they voted overwhelmingly for the Likud.
The result of the rule is that the Likud branch in Samaria could end up having several times as many members as the branch in nearby Afula, for instance. Between the members from Judea and Samaria and other hawks among the Likud’s founders and from the Jerusalem branch, the party’s institutions could become much more right-wing from January 31 onward.
“Bibi has a real problem here,” a Likud activist said. “Because he fell asleep and didn’t deal with the situation, the central committee could make things very hard on him. He is losing control over the party.”
Were Netanyahu more successful in getting loyalists into the central committee, he might have used the key three months after the January 31 election to try to pass a proposal enabling him to reserve slots for candidates he would choose for the next election.
He might have used that right to reserve slots for Defense Minister Ehud Barak and members of his Independence Party.
In what could make things even harder for Netanyahu, hawkish MK Danny Danon is expected to run for the chairmanship of the Likud convention, which is what the central committee is called for its key three months following its election. Danon has vowed to prevent from Barak and his allies from joining Likud.
But Barak has repeatedly denied any intention of joining Likud. The defense minister, who turns 70 on February 12, may end up deciding to quit politics ahead of the next general election rather than try to lead his Independence Party over the electoral threshold or enter the fray in the Likud.
Aryeh Zelasko says:
The Rambam states in Yad Hazaka, Sefer ‘Avoda, Hilkhot Beit HaBehira, Perek 7, Halakha 12, the following: The entire land of Eretz Yisrael is more sanctified than all other lands. How is its holiness expressed? The Omer offering, the two loaves [of Shavuot], and the first fruits must be brought from its [territory] and cannot be brought from other lands.
Thus, the holiness of the Land is in the using of the Land as outlined by Torah law.
There is no intrinsic holiness to the soil of Eretz Israel. The holiness of the Land is attained through the proper use of the Land and attached to the Land by the precepts of the Land. Those precepts are integral to all Torah and by logical extension all commandments rest upon the Laws of the Land.
In Hilkhot Beit HaBehira, Perek 7, Halakha 13 it is stated: Eretz Yisrael has ten gradations of holiness, each higher than the preceding level. The cities that are surrounded by a wall are holier than the rest of the Land.
Rambam writes in Hilkhot Beit HaBehira, Perek 7, Halakha 14:
Jerusalem is holier than all other walled cities. We must eat the sacrifices of lesser sanctity and the second tithes within its walls. The following restrictions were enacted in regard to Jerusalem: No corpse is left within it overnight. Human bones cannot be transported within it. Homes cannot be rented within it. A resident alien may not be given the opportunity to settle in the city. No graves may remain within it except for the graves of the House of David and the grave of Huldah, the prophetess, which were there from the days of the first prophets. We should not plant gardens or orchards within the city. It cannot be sowed or plowed, so that it will not smell foul. No trees may be maintained in it, except for a rose garden which was there from the days of the first prophets. We may not maintain a garbage dump there, because of creeping animals. We may not have balconies or protrusions extending into the public domain because of Tum’at Ohel. We may not create furnaces within it because of the smoke.
We may not raise chickens within it, because they may cause ritually pure articles [to become impure]. Just as a Kohen may not raise chickens throughout Eretz Yisrael, because they may cause ritually pure articles [to become impure].
A house in the city which is sold is never designated as the permanent property of the buyer.
A house in the city is never designated as leprous. It cannot be judged as an apostate city.
An Egla Arufa is never brought from it.
[The last four apply] because [Jerusalem] was never divided among the tribes.
The capital of the nation is to be held in greater esteem than all other cities for it is from there that political authority is to emanate.
The center of Jewish life is articulated so eloquently by Maimonides in his writing of the law for it is within the walls of the Beit HaMikdash. that, inter alia, the Sanhedrin sits. That is to say, the meaning of a Jewish commonwealth is ultimately found in the relevance of the Beit HaMikdash.
BB would love to pull off a Sharon but he doesn’t have the political killer instinct to pull it off. He’s not a man of surprises. And there is the fact the Palestinians have no real interest in strengthening him.
Yup. BB could have been pressured to keep the funds frozen. Every one in Israel knows his only concern is staying in power and he will do anything to avoid a breakup of the coalition. Lieberman could have threatened his political jugular. Its the only form of advice which BB appears to heed.
You are correct. It is a major tragedy that large numbers of the National Religious have been successfully brainwashed into accepting the Fascistic concept of the supremacy of the holy state. The People of Israel are holy. The Land of Israel is holy. The State of Israel is not. It is a tool to protect the People of Israel and the Land of Israel. When it does not it is an abomination and must be replaced as soon as possible. My hope is that we can replace it through peaceful and internal means. If we do not succeed, I have no doubt it will be replaced, once again, through external intervention as has happened twice before.
If my home were destroyed in such a manner I guarantee that the homes of Barak and the Officers of the IDF who commanded and carried out such a demolition would not be intact for very long. There is NO-ONE who can not be gotten to in Israel even BB. As Long as the residents of Y&S remain passive they don’t deserve either empathy or sympathy. They have elevated the security forces especially the IDF into a HOLY COW, or an untouchable entity along with respect for the state and it’s institutions. This is a form of Avodah Zarah; “foreign worship,” meaning “idolatry” or “strange worship”
They might not beat the state but not fighting for themselves renders them in MO, less than pathetic, less than men worthy of support and most importantly respect.
I would promote total opting out of National Service by all National religious and Israelis with strong nationalist ideology. Let the left carry the defense burden. At the very least opt out of all combat units to safe support jobs within the IDF.
As long as they play the mamlacti game they will lose.
Some Jews never learn from the past even the recent past
Knit, Madam Defarge, knit!
Bibi’s bold moves sound like the Queen of Hearts saying “Off with her head!” in Alice in Wonderland. The guards just escorted Alice out of the Queen’s sight, then let her go.
I’ve done my research. For many years.
From your answer it appears that you haven’t done yours.
If by now you haven’t decided that Bibi has sold out, then you are avoiding all logic and all evidence.
And it would appear that you will continue to do so.
I guess he ‘just needs to be strengthened’, right?
He needs to be strengthened in his jail cell for committing treason against the Jewish People.
Since you don’t know and are Just Wonderin’, I suggest you do a little independent research so you will know and not just Wonderin’.
It seems as if most people don’t understand Bibi’s actions.
If one were to consider the option that he has sold out to foreign interests (which aim to see Israel divided at all costs), wouldn’t all of Bibi’s actions fit into this scenario?
We must wake up.
BB the piece of offal has caved again.
Cabinet Approves Release of Funds for PA
The Security Cabinet approves unfreezing tax revenues collected for the PA despite Abbas’ unilateral moves to win UN recognition.
Ode to fiscal discipline. If only we could have such a one handling the U.S.A’s finances.
I sincerely hope Netanyahu will not cause another split in the Likud (as did Arik Sharon and those despicable renegade Likudniks who blindly followed him into Kadima). Netanyahu must realize that any attempts to turn the rightwing Likud into a ‘center right’ party, coupled with his contemptuous attitude towards religious Likudniks like Moshe Feiglin and now his frantic attempts to rid the Party of ‘unacceptable’ (to him) members who live in Judea and Samaria, will boomerang on him and the Likud as a whole. The PM should understand that most TRADITIONAL Likudniks live all over Israel and not just in Judea and Samaria. It was be a wise and brave step, if he ate a bit of humble pie and made conciliatory gestures to those Likudniks, esp. those in Judea and Samaria, met them face to face, sat down with them and tried to iron out all the differences. If he can do that with Israel’s enemies, he should certainly be able to do so with Likud party members. If he cannot, or will not, then indeed, it might be time to find someone to take his place and bring party members together so as to proudly move forward in unison.
Actually Sarah is Bibi’s 3rd wife. His second marriage to a British lady lasted only a short while and there were no children.
Netanyahu is unprincipled, except for maintaining responsible and disciplined government fiscal policy.
Other than that, Netanyahu can be counted on to change his policies and principles as often as the polls indicate, and I mean the Prime Minister’s private polls, not the national ones.
But Netanyahu is largely a nationalist, not a fire breathing nationalist, but acceptable to most right wingers and he has been able to deal effectively and largely positively with Obama, who makes no bones about how much he despises Israel.
As a long time Likud member I trust Netanyahu up to a point, and while it might be nice to replace him with someone more attuned to the National Camp, that might not be so easy or wise. Netanyahu is not perfect, but he has shown he can be elected and lead the nation responsibly, and deal correctly with the Palestinians. Unless there is someone else out there who is more nationalist and can be elected, which I seriously doubt, Netanyahu is the best we can expect for the time being.
I can only wish the best for those who want to cleanse the Likud of the Betrayer of Hevron and his stooges. I suspect, however, that he has bought the support of the unJustice system by capitulating to AG Weinstein’s demand that there be no reform of the court system. Now he can go to the Supreme Cult and they will give him his delay.
Who knows, they may even invent a new “constitutional” concept that the head of the Likud can appoint his own central committee. After all that is how the Supreme Cult works.
I didn’t even know this is Bibi’s second marriage.
Sharon started as a bulldozer but ended up as a chefs salad, vegetating. 🙂
This is BB and how most Isralis view him.
BB has no friends, he is too manipulative, self serving and paranoid to have real friends. One can gauge his real character by who claims to be his friend and the caliber of the many political appointees he has made in both terms. Most who start with him never finish out their terms, he barely acknowledges his daughter by his first marriage.
Ariel Sharon was a bulldozer. Bibi is a mouse, a pushover – who goes along wherever the political winds blow. He’s not considered a leader either by his friends or by his enemies.
It shows how little support he has in the party. The fact he didn’t bother to organize his supporters says something about his regard for the party’s sentiments. His preferred successor is Dan Meridor, who is on the Likud’s Left. None of his current policies have much enthusiasm. Which won’t matter any way since the Palestinians are not cooperating in his and the Left’s plans for the revenants.
I got a whiff of Ariel Sharon when I read this.
Losing the game? Just change the rules in mid-play. Netanyahu’s done it half a dozen times already. A cheat and a coward. You wouldn’t buy a new car from such a person!