"Her leaders judge for bribes... and her prophets divine for money." - Micah 3:11
The Likud has contributed mightily to Israel's reputation as having the second - I dare say the first - most corrupt government in the developed world. For this shameful reputation, Jews are very much indebted to Likud chairman Ariel Sharon.
Sharon obtained the chairmanship of the Likud party in 1999 with the help of foreign funds - a violation of Israeli law. For all we know, the Likud was, or has been since, bought by foreign agents. Such a thing can be done only because the citizens of Israel are compelled to vote for party slates, not for individual candidates. Buy the party leader and you buy the party.
In 2003, honest Arik deceived the nation by transforming the Likud, reputedly a Zionist or nationalist party, into an anti-Zionist party. He did this by campaigning against Disengagement from Gaza in the January election, only to adopt that left-wing policy ten months later. Honest Arik simply stole the votes of hundreds of thousands of citizens who belong to the nationalist camp.
In October of the following year, honest Arik suborned 23 Likud MKs to violate their pledges to the nation by voting for Disengagement. This can readily be done in Israel, as MKs owe their position, power and perks to their party leaders, not to the voters in constituency elections. To repeat, in Israel you vote for party slates, not for individual candidates - a system that has greatly contributed to Israel's glowing reputation.
Anyway, Likud leader Sharon, having become the Left's surrogate prime minister, proceeded to expel 10,000 Jews from their homes in Gaza and northern Samaria. He then gave their land to Israel's enemies, in consequence of which, Gaza is now the capital of international terrorism. Honest Arik may now be regarded as the number one patron of Arab terror.
Although Arik trashed the Zionist principles of the Likud party, the party had already betrayed those principles by voting against former MK Michael Kleiner's law project to abrogate the Oslo Agreement. After all, despite the fact that Sharon had long been on record as advocating a Palestinian state, the Likud nonetheless elected him its chairman. The corruption of the Likud antedates Sharon; he only brought that corruption to its leftist conclusion.
No wonder many leftists want Sharon to remain prime minister. No military hero can so anesthetize and betray the nation and still receive fairly high public ratings. Which suggests that Sharon is Israel's most devious and dangerous prime minister.
But let's remember that the parties that signed the coalition guidelines of Sharon's Likud-led government after the 2003 election are not paragons of virtue and patriotism. National Union, then led by Avigdor Lieberman, and the National Religious Party, then led by Effie Eitam - and let's not forget Manhigut Yehudit - knew very well that Sharon was a corrupt politician committed to a Palestinian state. They too betrayed their voters. You can't collaborate with, or work within, a party without being partly responsible for its policies, including its criminal deeds, pious professions to the contrary notwithstanding. As for those who register for the Likud to advance the far-fetched cause of Manhigut Yehudit, but with the intention of voting for another party - which party? National Union? NRP? Both bear responsibility for making 10,000 Jews homeless.
Only a fascist-like state can despoil 10,000 citizens - and this is not the end of the depredations awaiting the Jews of Israel. Sharon and his Likud party are primarily responsible for this horrific state of affairs. That Sharon continues to rank fairly high in opinion polls means that much of the public has been corrupted.
The Likud, like Labor, is part of the establishment, which is linked to world-wide banking interests and multinational corporations. Anyone who thinks the Likud is going to return to its pristine principles does not understand politics in general, and Israeli politics in particular. Politics is not just a matter of numbers.
The Likud has contributed mightily to Israel's reputation as having the second - I dare say the first - most corrupt government in the developed world. For this shameful reputation, Jews are very much indebted to Likud chairman Ariel Sharon.
Sharon obtained the chairmanship of the Likud party in 1999 with the help of foreign funds - a violation of Israeli law. For all we know, the Likud was, or has been since, bought by foreign agents. Such a thing can be done only because the citizens of Israel are compelled to vote for party slates, not for individual candidates. Buy the party leader and you buy the party.
In 2003, honest Arik deceived the nation by transforming the Likud, reputedly a Zionist or nationalist party, into an anti-Zionist party. He did this by campaigning against Disengagement from Gaza in the January election, only to adopt that left-wing policy ten months later. Honest Arik simply stole the votes of hundreds of thousands of citizens who belong to the nationalist camp.
In October of the following year, honest Arik suborned 23 Likud MKs to violate their pledges to the nation by voting for Disengagement. This can readily be done in Israel, as MKs owe their position, power and perks to their party leaders, not to the voters in constituency elections. To repeat, in Israel you vote for party slates, not for individual candidates - a system that has greatly contributed to Israel's glowing reputation.
Anyway, Likud leader Sharon, having become the Left's surrogate prime minister, proceeded to expel 10,000 Jews from their homes in Gaza and northern Samaria. He then gave their land to Israel's enemies, in consequence of which, Gaza is now the capital of international terrorism. Honest Arik may now be regarded as the number one patron of Arab terror.
Although Arik trashed the Zionist principles of the Likud party, the party had already betrayed those principles by voting against former MK Michael Kleiner's law project to abrogate the Oslo Agreement. After all, despite the fact that Sharon had long been on record as advocating a Palestinian state, the Likud nonetheless elected him its chairman. The corruption of the Likud antedates Sharon; he only brought that corruption to its leftist conclusion.
No wonder many leftists want Sharon to remain prime minister. No military hero can so anesthetize and betray the nation and still receive fairly high public ratings. Which suggests that Sharon is Israel's most devious and dangerous prime minister.
But let's remember that the parties that signed the coalition guidelines of Sharon's Likud-led government after the 2003 election are not paragons of virtue and patriotism. National Union, then led by Avigdor Lieberman, and the National Religious Party, then led by Effie Eitam - and let's not forget Manhigut Yehudit - knew very well that Sharon was a corrupt politician committed to a Palestinian state. They too betrayed their voters. You can't collaborate with, or work within, a party without being partly responsible for its policies, including its criminal deeds, pious professions to the contrary notwithstanding. As for those who register for the Likud to advance the far-fetched cause of Manhigut Yehudit, but with the intention of voting for another party - which party? National Union? NRP? Both bear responsibility for making 10,000 Jews homeless.
Only a fascist-like state can despoil 10,000 citizens - and this is not the end of the depredations awaiting the Jews of Israel. Sharon and his Likud party are primarily responsible for this horrific state of affairs. That Sharon continues to rank fairly high in opinion polls means that much of the public has been corrupted.
The Likud, like Labor, is part of the establishment, which is linked to world-wide banking interests and multinational corporations. Anyone who thinks the Likud is going to return to its pristine principles does not understand politics in general, and Israeli politics in particular. Politics is not just a matter of numbers.