Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu has come up with a plan to weaken the increasingly popular challenger. Netanyahu hopes to increase Likud party membership from its current level of 100,000 to more than 150,000. He also plans to cancel the law requiring party members be half a year in the party before they can vote. Feiglin's support has steadily increased in the past three Likud leadership elections from 3% to 12% to 23%.
In response to the moves, sources close to Feiglin said they would defend themselves by trying to expel Likud MKs, such as Limor Livnat, who voted for retreat from the Gaza Strip in 2005. Netanyahu supporters claim Feiglin is an intruder. Feiglin supporters say they want to keep the Likud from abandoning its principles and sliding to the left.