A court has ruled against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in the latest episode of the Likud party saga - thus increasing the chances of his in-party opponents increasing their influence.
Netanyahu had wanted to push off the upcoming elections for the party's Central Committee membership until late 2011, enabling him to canvass many more supporters for his cause in the coming months.
Providing the backdrop of this desire is the fact that new Likud members may not vote for Central Committee members until they have been in the party for 16 months. This, in order to prevent precisely the type of last-minute mass canvassing of supporters that Netanyahu opponents feared he wanted to do.
Pleased With the Decision
Michael Puah, Director of Manhigut Yehudit - the “Jewish Leadership” faction in the Likud headed by Moshe Feiglin - told Arutz-7 of his happiness with the latest decision: “It is a victory and holiday for those who support democracy. It means that the Likud will not revert to the days of corruption in which people like Omri Sharon stuffed the party membership rolls. The elections will be held for the Central Committee in two months’ time, on April 28, in a democratic fashion.”
“We passed a rule long ago that only those with 16 months’ membership can vote or be elected [to the influential Central Committee],” Puah explained. “This was supposed to uproot the phenomenon of non-party members influencing party policy. To my regret, the prime minister wanted to hold the elections 20 months from now [in order to bypass this decision], and I am happy that Judge Zaft ruled that the elections must be held in two months’ time.”
Puah said he is not fazed by Netanyahu's intention to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court: “The decision by Judge Zaft has essentially already signaled the beginning of the campaign, and I don't think this can be stopped."
Puah: Central Committee Members More Influential than Opposition MKs
Puah accused Netanyahu of underhanded tactics in his efforts, but expressed confidence that support for the Manhigut camp will grow: “Our movement is getting bigger, and I want to thank all those who voted for the Likud from Judea and Samaria (Yesha); in their merit, many Yesha residents will be elected to the Central Committee.
"Everyone now knows that Likud Central Committee members have more influence on government policy than do Opposition Knesset members. Moshe Feiglin is our candidate for head of the Likud and Prime Minister, and what happened this week moves us forward another large step towards our goal. It proves that great objectives are achieved slowly, but in the end, they are achieved.”