The Likud Central Committee will convene this evening, and preliminary indications show that it will continue its tradition of providing drama, controversy, and verbal violence.
No votes will be taken, and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will be the only MK to speak, but critical and controversial resolutions will be introduced. The Forum for Preserving Likud Values will propose a change to the party charter, stipulating that any MK or minister who votes in the Knesset against decisions taken by the party's Central Committee will not be permitted to run for Knesset on the Likud list in the subsequent elections. The above forum is associated with Moshe Feiglin's Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) movement.
Manhigut Yehudit, in the knowledge that many ministers and some MKs are against its proposal, has prepared carefully for the dramatic move. "In last year's conference," the Forum states in a letter to the Central Committee members, "someone made a 'snatch' and prevented us from holding a vote. They held a 'make-believe' open vote, and then quickly started singing HaTikvah [the national anthem]. But this time, we won't let anyone steal the conference!"
At issue, of course, are matters such as the Road Map and unilateral withdrawal, both of which stand in opposition to the Likud party platform - yet have been promoted by leading Likud members such as Prime Minister Sharon and Trade Minister Olmert. The new proposal is designed, says Michael Puah, Manhigut Yehudit's Director-General, to "prevent the continued phenomenon, by some of those we sent to the Knesset and the government, of mocking the Central Committee and its decisions."
As an example, Puah said this morning that Ehud Olmert had "taken the mandate that we gave him, and used it to promote Meretz party positions." The Likud must cease being a "meaningless jump-board for a political career," the letter states. "Those who change their spots and adopt a different political outlook will be forced to be honest about it and pursue their political fortunes in a party that matches their new opinions."
The letter continued, "We, the Forum for Preserving Likud Values, circulated a petition, and many of you signed it, calling for a secret vote. According to the party constitution, 10% of those present can demand and force a secret vote. This evening, we will be presenting the signatures of hundreds of Central Committee members [out of 3,000], including probably yours, that will force a secret vote. If, however, someone tries to force an open vote, don't participate! Instead, start waving the sign that appears on the other side of this page. Together with you will be hundreds of others who will also do so, and we will thus prevent a 'grab.' Together, we will restore power to the Central Committee!" The last sentence is in fact what appears on the other side of the letter.
Several Likud members, most notably Education Minister Limor Livnat, reacted very sharply to the Manhigut Yehudit proposal. Speaking this morning on both Voice of Israel and Army Radio, she called it "insanity" and "initiated by a group of people who are motivated not by ideology but by criminal interests." Livnat said that restricting the ministers' and MKs' freedom to make their own decisions is liable to "endanger the State of Israel and the democratic rule of law."
MK Yuval Shteinitz, who favors a withdrawal from Gaza but not from Judea and Samaria, said, "I am sure that most of my friends [in the Central Committee] are aware that in a modern democracy, the Central Committee chooses representatives in order to give them freedom to act, and not that they should be marionettes."
Puah, emphasizing that the MKs must vote in accordance with the ideals of those they represent, said, "We have no doubt that there will be those who will do almost anything to make sure that our proposal is not accepted... We must not be dragged into provocations. We have a responsibility not to be satisfied with protesting, but to bring about correct decisions."
No votes will be taken, and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will be the only MK to speak, but critical and controversial resolutions will be introduced. The Forum for Preserving Likud Values will propose a change to the party charter, stipulating that any MK or minister who votes in the Knesset against decisions taken by the party's Central Committee will not be permitted to run for Knesset on the Likud list in the subsequent elections. The above forum is associated with Moshe Feiglin's Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) movement.
Manhigut Yehudit, in the knowledge that many ministers and some MKs are against its proposal, has prepared carefully for the dramatic move. "In last year's conference," the Forum states in a letter to the Central Committee members, "someone made a 'snatch' and prevented us from holding a vote. They held a 'make-believe' open vote, and then quickly started singing HaTikvah [the national anthem]. But this time, we won't let anyone steal the conference!"
At issue, of course, are matters such as the Road Map and unilateral withdrawal, both of which stand in opposition to the Likud party platform - yet have been promoted by leading Likud members such as Prime Minister Sharon and Trade Minister Olmert. The new proposal is designed, says Michael Puah, Manhigut Yehudit's Director-General, to "prevent the continued phenomenon, by some of those we sent to the Knesset and the government, of mocking the Central Committee and its decisions."
As an example, Puah said this morning that Ehud Olmert had "taken the mandate that we gave him, and used it to promote Meretz party positions." The Likud must cease being a "meaningless jump-board for a political career," the letter states. "Those who change their spots and adopt a different political outlook will be forced to be honest about it and pursue their political fortunes in a party that matches their new opinions."
The letter continued, "We, the Forum for Preserving Likud Values, circulated a petition, and many of you signed it, calling for a secret vote. According to the party constitution, 10% of those present can demand and force a secret vote. This evening, we will be presenting the signatures of hundreds of Central Committee members [out of 3,000], including probably yours, that will force a secret vote. If, however, someone tries to force an open vote, don't participate! Instead, start waving the sign that appears on the other side of this page. Together with you will be hundreds of others who will also do so, and we will thus prevent a 'grab.' Together, we will restore power to the Central Committee!" The last sentence is in fact what appears on the other side of the letter.
Several Likud members, most notably Education Minister Limor Livnat, reacted very sharply to the Manhigut Yehudit proposal. Speaking this morning on both Voice of Israel and Army Radio, she called it "insanity" and "initiated by a group of people who are motivated not by ideology but by criminal interests." Livnat said that restricting the ministers' and MKs' freedom to make their own decisions is liable to "endanger the State of Israel and the democratic rule of law."
MK Yuval Shteinitz, who favors a withdrawal from Gaza but not from Judea and Samaria, said, "I am sure that most of my friends [in the Central Committee] are aware that in a modern democracy, the Central Committee chooses representatives in order to give them freedom to act, and not that they should be marionettes."
Puah, emphasizing that the MKs must vote in accordance with the ideals of those they represent, said, "We have no doubt that there will be those who will do almost anything to make sure that our proposal is not accepted... We must not be dragged into provocations. We have a responsibility not to be satisfied with protesting, but to bring about correct decisions."