Moshe Feiglin
Moshe FeiglinFlash 90

The Likud’s campaign against the Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home) hurt the party and caused voters to vote for Yesh Atid, Likud candidate Moshe Feiglin said on Wednesday.

“We must learn the lessons from this campaign, it did not help the Likud but rather Yair Lapid,” Feiglin told Arutz Sheva, as results from the election indicated that the Likud Beytenu would only win 31 Knesset seats, keeping it in power but significantly weakening it. “According to Mina Tzemach’s poll, 50 percent of Lapid’s votes were right-wing non-religious people who the Likud scared away and they voted for Lapid. The campaign against religious Zionism was stupid.”

Likud focused on attacking the Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home) party in recent weeks, primarily by portraying its candidates as extremists. Lapid’s party was the surprise of the elections, winning 19 seats and becoming the second largest party, in place of the 11-12 that it had been predicted to receive.

The public punished the Likud for presenting itself as if it was ashamed of its roots, Feiglin said.

"We have a glorious history and a fancy identity card in the Likud,” he said. “The public in Israel took a turn towards the right, but this was not reflected here. Likud hid its ideological identity card. The Likud, for several years now, has been scared and has been hiding its ideology. The Likud has run away from itself, that’s why we lost many votes.”

Feiglin was ranked high in the Likud primaries and was placed in the 15th spot on its Knesset list. With Yisrael Beytenu's members added to the list, he now has the number 23 spot on the Likud Beytenu list and is guaranteed to be an MK. He noted that he would be the Likud’s rightist marker in the coalition.

“On a personal level, I feel I have a heavy responsibility. I feel like I am the most ideological and clearest voice in the Knesset,” he said.

“When there was talk about disobeying orders to expel Jews, I was the only voice other than Otzma LeYisrael who said it was important,” added Feiglin. “Now that Otzma LeYisrael did not make the threshold, I feel double the responsibility.”

He promised to support Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu as he forms a new coalition, but stressed that the new government should have red lines.

“We all have to hope that the Likud and Binyamin Netanyahu can establish a stable and strong nationalist government. The last thing we need now is a political stalemate and new elections,” Feiglin said.

“I think that Yair Lapid is a partner that is more than legitimate, he’s a completely natural partner, he broadcasts openness and an ability to join hands,” he added. “This will be a broad nationalist government that will be loyal to the State of Israel as a Jewish state.”