Israel Matzav

The Likud a democracy? Don't make me laugh

The Likud's MK's are sharpening their knives for the Prime Minister, because he has decided to leave the current Likud ministers in place even though many young MK's ranked far higher in the party's primary.

Meanwhile, the younger generation of Likud MKs, who ranked high in the party primary - Ze'ev Elkin, Danny Danon, Tzipi Hotovely, Yariv Levin and others - began to express frustration at reports that Netanyahu does no plan to appoint any new ministers from within his party.

Danon expressed careful optimism that he - ninth on the party list - could get a ministry instead of MK Tzachi Hanegbi - 26th, who Netanyahu promised a portfolio.

"I hope the prime minister will consider the results of the primary," Danon said. "He needs to [go by the party list], because the Likud is a democracy."

Danon also called for Netanyahu to realize that there is a new generation of lawmakers in the Likud, and that not all of the old guard should be left in place.

"Netanyahu can't ignore what Likud voters want," Danon added.

MK Tzipi Hotovely, the highest-ranking woman in the Likud, attacked Netanyahu's intentions more directly, saying that he is making a mistake.

"It's a mistake to go for old politics and recycling the old list of ministers. At the end of the day, the public will look at the Likud's list and say, if the government doesn't change, then why did we vote in the primary? In a way, this shows lack of faith in the the [primary] voting process," Hotovely told Galei Yisrael Radio.

Hotovely specifically mentioned Culture and Sport Minister Limor Livnat,  27th on the party's 31-seat list, as someone who should no longer be part of the government.

"Thousands of votes separate me and Limor Livnat," Hotovely pointed out.

I suppose we should be thankful he's given up on keeping Ehud Barak as Defense Minister.  But Danny's Danon's phrase that I highlighted above is so wrong it's pathetic. Netanyahu pushed Moshe Feiglin down to an unrealistic slot after the 2009 primaries, he prevented a new central committee from being elected for years, and he is now trying to return the Likud to a system where the Central Committee - rather than party members - selects and ranks the candidates for MK positions.

As someone who spent more than three hours voting in the primary, I'm angry but not surprised. .The Likud a democracy? It's about as democratic as Egypt.

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Danny Danon, democracy, Israeli Knesset, Likud Central Committee, Likud party, Likud Young Generation, Limor Livnat, Moshe Feiglin, Tzipi Hotovely

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:04 PM