MK Moshe Arens, three-time Defense Minister, was elected last night to the post of Likud Party Chairman. He denies that his victory is a victory for the party\'s Netanyahu camp, saying that the many Likud activists who are unaligned with either Sharon or Netanyahu are those who brought him the victory.



Moshe Feiglin, head of the Likud Party\'s Jewish Leadership movement, expressed satisfaction with Arens\' election, saying he is a \"man of integrity.\" Jewish Leadership continues its drive to recruit new members for the Likud, with the intention of establishing itself as a strong force within what is now the country\'s leading party. The organization is also fielding candidates for the Likud Central Committee, and is asking its supporters to stand for election for Committee membership.



As the date of the Likud elections draws near, Feiglin explains some of his movement\'s philosophy in his most recent newsletter:

\"What did we think when we demonstrated against Rabin that Bibi would save us? And when we protested against Bibi - that Barak would deliver us? And when we took part in rallies against Barak - that Sharon would hear our cries for help? We, the believing public, as it were, run again and again after these lifeless idols. We attempt to influence them, by alternatively pleading and threatening, and the idols refuse to come to life. But we continue to worship them. When one disintegrates, we run to the next one, and so on. When the latest one falls to pieces we glue them together and renew the act of worship…

\"It\'s true that this idolatry had its moment. The latest Return to Zion had a small window of opportunity of 100 years (out of the 4000 years of Jewish history) in which the strength to redeem the Jewish people was given to those who denied belief. We are full of admiration for those pioneers who led the physical awakening.

\"But the window has closed... One who has no true belief in the G-d of Israel, who does not put the Almighty\'s wishes before his own, is no more than a stone idol. He is not necessarily an evil person, he may even have good intentions, but he is simply incapable of realizing them, because the window has closed.

\"The Jewish Leadership movement realized this immediately after the tremendous demonstrations of Zo Artzeinu [This is Our Land]. Since then, this realization has become apparent to many. The practical significance of this is the fact that thousands of [our] members have joined, as a single bloc, the national ruling party, in order to use it to achieve positions of leadership in the State of Israel.

\"We are now approaching the first electoral trial. Elections will be held [in October] for the Likud Center. Shortly afterwards, elections will take place in which the National Camp\'s candidate for Prime Minister will be selected. Only those who join the Likud before the 6th of Av 5762 (July 15, 2002) will be eligible to participate in the coming elections for the Likud Center, and thus enable a large group of believing members to be elected to the \"parliament\" of the ruling party. This will advance the cause of leadership based on belief for Israel...\"