Israel Matzav

I quit the Likud

I have just sent an email to my bank officer asking to cancel the standing order to withdraw dues to the Likud every month from my account. Moshe Feiglin has called on all his followers to do the same (link in Hebrew). And while I did not realize I was following Feiglin when I joined the Likud (the person who signed me up neglected to tell me), the corrupt and unfair treatment he has received are more than enough for me.

Enough is enough.

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Likud party, Moshe Feiglin

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:55 AM 4 comments

Well, I'd vote for him!

Tired of the corruption in the party, Moshe Feiglin is leaving the Likud and starting a party of his own.

"There is no leader in Israel, except the people here, who knows and can turn Israel into a Jewish state - one of real freedom, a state which is not 'all of its citizens and its Zoabis," he began, referring to virulent anti-Israel MK Hanin Zoabi (Balad). "There is no leader in Israel, except the people here, who knows and is able to cope with a rock attack in Tiva, with a knife in Jerusalem, with a rocket from Gaza and the Iranian nuclear program."

"There is no leader in Israel, except the people here, who knows and can lower the prices of housing and food," he continued. "There is no political leader in Israel, except the people here, who is not willing to be eaten up by the 'peace factory' here, subject to Oslo [Accords] consciousness and language, there is no leader who talks about: one country, one nation, one Israel."

"There is no leader in Israel, except the people here, a democratic leader really, who knows and is able to build a true state based on freedom, personal and political freedom that comes from Judaism instead of in place [of Judaism], of identity, a freedom that comes from understanding that we are all children of our Father our King, slaves to the Creator alone," he said. 

"I was hoping that Likud could bring those of us who are straightforward to the prime minister's seat, but little by little I understood that we could not," he added. "The more the creation of a new life, a new birth is required here, a time of growing her own and hopefully soon - a faith-based leadership, leadership of freedom to the people of Israel."

As many of you know, I'm a big Feiglin fan. I'm not really surprised he's doing this - Netanyahu left him no choice after the primary results. I just hope his party wins enough seats in the Knesset to have a significant impact. 

Feiglin's full speech from tonight's meeting may be found here. 

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, corruption, Likud party, Moshe Feiglin

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:17 PM 2 comments

Netanyahu targets Feiglin

Prime Minister Netanyahu's big 'accomplishment' in Wednesday's Likud primary was to drive Moshe Feiglin to an unrealistic position in the slate.

According to Yedioth Aharonoth, the main hand behind Feiglin's primaries failure was none other than Haim Bibas, director of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's elections headquarters, mayor of Modi'in and director of the regional authority of the city.

Bibas held a campaign to convince Likud activists in Judea and Samaria not to support Feiglin, according to the paper.

"We wiped him out below the radar," a senior Likud source was quoted as saying. "It took Likudniks time to understand that he causes us damage. This is Netanyahu's greatest success in these primaries."

Another opponent of Feiglin who acted for his downfall according to the report is his neighbor in Karnei Shomron in Samaria, Asi Levi, who is a member of the Karnei Shomron Regional Council.

"All these years we helped Feiglin succeed, but he had delusions of grandeur. I came to the conclusion that he isn't a Likudnik but rather acts to crush the Likud," Levi was quoted as saying. He then admitted "we did a 'targeted killing' on Feiglin."

The accusations that Feiglin acted against Likud may reference the criticism Feiglin frequently leveled at his party for taking actions against its nationalist and Zionist platform.

God Forbid anyone should remind the Likud of what it's supposed to stand for.

They've lost my vote.

This is from Shmuel Sackett, Moshe Feiglin's longtime partner in politics.

I must state that Moshe was not the only good, solid Knesset member that Likud members rejected; Tzippy Hotoveli - a Deputy Minister in the current government - won just one spot before Moshe (#26), which is ALSO considered very unrealistic.

To understand what happened to Moshe, please read this quote from the Maariv (NRG) website:

"Two weeks ago, we reported about a deal being worked on against Feiglin. The goal of this deal was to insure that Feiglin receive an unrealistic spot on the Likud list and it succeeded exactly as planned. The deal was orchestrated by Prime Minister Netanyahu and implemented via Knesset members Chaim Katz, Yariv Levine, Zev Elkin and Danny Danon" How nice...

While we understand the system and realize that every candidate has to worry and push him/herself, we will never understand why candidates actively work AGAINST others in the same party. Thanks to the hard work of these politicians, the current Likud list contains two former members of Kadima and SIX people who SUPPORTED the Gaza Expulsion Plan. Do the members of Likud really prefer these people to Feiglin and Hotoveli?

The membership of the Likud does not. But Netanyahu and his cronies whom he has kept in power in the unchanged central committee (there hasn't been an election since Netanyahu was elected Prime Minister) in 2009 do prefer the leftists who are above Feiglin on the list.

Shabbat Shalom everyone. 

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Knesset elections 2015, Likud party, Moshe Feiglin

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:10 PM 2 comments

Deri for Finance Minister?

Prime Minister Netanyahu was so desperate to avoid elections that on Saturday night he offered Shas' Aryeh Deri the finance ministry and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman a one-year rotation as Prime Minister, according to Maariv's Ben Caspit (link in Hebrew).

Netanyahu had good reason for avoiding elections.

While the Right continues to lead in every poll of Right v. Left, polls have also shown that Netanyahu has become extremely unpopular with roughly 65% of Israeli voters hoping to see him replaced.

On Wednesday night, Labor party leader Yitzchak Herzog and egomaniac Tzipi Livni agreed to join forces in the Labor party and to rotate (two years each) as Prime Minister if they win.

The Right's victory in terms of numbers is not a sure thing. Haredi publications have indicated that they would prefer to go into a coalition with Labor over a coalition with Jewish Home party's Naftali Bennett, with whom they say they will not set. This would make it much harder for Prime Minister Netanyahu to form a coalition even if his party is the largest party in the election (which the polls indicate it may not be).

Meanwhile, Netanyahu has spent this week trying to advance the Likud primary from its scheduled January 6 date to December 31 in order to avoid a challenge from former Education Minister Gidon Saar. Netanyahu will still be facing Moshe Feiglin and Danny Danon, both of whom are to his right. Saar is ideologically closer to Netanyahu.

Hmmm.

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Danny Danon, Gidon Saar, Knesset elections 2015, Likud party, Moshe Feiglin, Tzipi Livni, Yitzchak Herzog

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:38 PM 2 comments

Stop the fearmongering: A Likud led by Feiglin would do as well as or better than one led by Netanyahu

There is no one that Prime Minister Netanyahu fears more than Likud MK Moshe Feiglin. Netanyahu so fears Feiglin, he won't even be photographed with him.

Netanyahu and his cohorts have worked very hard to convince the Likud membership that a ticket headed by Feiglin would fare worse - much worse - than one headed by Netanyahu. Now, a new poll debunks that claim. The Likud led by Feiglin would do no worse in the upcoming elections than the Likud led by Netanyahu. Even Haaretz says so. Feiglin might even do better.

An internal Likud poll projects that if right-wing Likud Knesset Member Moshe Feiglin were to win the party’s leadership contest and lead the party in the upcoming Knesset election, Likud would get 18 seats in the 120-seat legislature, a showing identical to what the party has today, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

The survey, which was conducted by the Ma'agar Mochot polling agency among a representative sample of 501 Jewish Israelis, was commissioned by party activists to gauge the prospects of Netanyahu’s rivals as heads of the party in the upcoming Knesset election. At this point Feiglin, who is on the right of the Likud spectrum, and Likud central committee chairman Danny Danon are the only two declared challengers to Netanyahu for the post of party leader.

...

“Today Likudniks understand that anyone can garner the seats that Bibi does for the party,” one party member said in reaction to the polling results, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.

“According to the [survey] results, Netanyahu’s ceiling could turn into Feiglin’s floor,” another Likud activist said in connection to the possible support for the two in the election. “From this point [Feiglin] could collect additional Knesset seats.”

The survey indicates that if Feiglin were to lead the party, some traditional Likud voters would drift to other parties while Likud would garner its support from more right-wing and religious voters. Feiglin would draw voters from the Habayit Hayehudi and Yisrael Beiteinu parties, while the voters that Likud would lose would go primarily to Yisrael Beiteinu, Yesh Atid and a party expected to be established by former Likud MK Moshe Kahlon.

"The results of the poll aren't surprising," Feiglin said. "But they certainly highlight the most important question in these elections: Who can bring back the votes that have migrated to Habayit Hayehudi and Yisrael Beiteinu.

"My leadership and the path that I represent" will draw voters back to Likud, he said.

 Maybe that's why Netanyahu is desperately trying to avoid new elections.

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Knesset elections 2015, Likud party, Likudniks, Moshe Feiglin

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:47 PM 2 comments

We need less regulation, not more

MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud) is spot-on.



Didn't Netanyahu used to be a capitalist too? Maybe someone needs to remind him.

Labels: Avigdor Lieberman, Binyamin Netanyahu, Israeli economy, Moshe Feiglin

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:31 PM 1 comments

Jewish construction worker murdered by 'Palestinian' co-worker who cut his rope

It took two weeks, but police now suspect that Jewish construction worker Netanel Arami HY"D (May God Avenge his blood) was murdered when a 'Palestinian' co-worker cut the rope from which he was suspended, sending him plunging 11 stories to his death.

This is from the original report from two weeks ago (the second link).

The few details known about the event so far, according to Walla! News, hint that Arami's fall may not have been accidental. Armi worked at the site along with fellow worker Liron Ovadiah in the hours before the fall, according to the daily, and was first noticed to have been missing after he did not show up for a planned ride home. One worker returned to the construction site to search for him and found him laying dead on the ground. 

Both Arami and Ovadiah were to close the vent caps of the security rooms spread along the length of the building, which is being built on Shraga Naftali Street. Due to the complexity in assembling the building's scaffolding, contractors have asked the workers to put up the structure using abseiling, or a form of rappelling along the outside of the building. 

For several hours they worked on the site, and were due to end at 5:00 pm. At that time, Arami - hanging from cables on the 11th floor via a harness - asked his employees to prepare for the end of the day and pack up.  

After the fall, and after he was was found lifeless on the ground, Arami's colleagues called an ambulance, but the Portable Intensive Care Unit at the scene pronounced him dead shortly thereafter.

The police now know a lot more. This is from the first link.

Police investigators think an Arab co-worker at the site cut the rope that Arami was connected to as he rapelled down the side of the building.

Arami, 27, owned a small rapelling business which he had been running for several years.

MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud), who visited the grieving Arami family shortly after Netanel's death, was convinced from the outset that he was murdered. “For five hours, Netanel lay crushed on the ground,” wrote. His mother learned of the accident from news site Ynet,” he wrote on Facebook. Netanel's co-worker “arrived there with the police. They went up to the roof and found the slashed rope, heard the Arabs laughing. A rapelling rope that has been cut looks completely different from one that was worn out. And there are two of them – one main rope and one for security.”

Feiglin hinted broadly that the gag order placed on details of the investigation was unjustified. “What is there to hide here except the wish to block, to cover the eyes of the public?”

There's much more: The police handling of this entire case was apparently grossly negligent. Read the whole thing. 

Labels: crime, Israel police, Moshe Feiglin, Palestinian terrorism

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:14 PM 0 comments

Poll: IDF won Operation Protective Edge, Israel lost, Right would overwhelmingly win election

A poll by the Jerusalem Post and Maariv has found that 61% of Israelis agree with the proposition that the IDF won Operation Protective Edge... but Israel lost.

Sixty-one percent of respondents agreed with the statement that the IDF had won while Israel had lost, while 32% percent disagreed and 7% did not have an opinion.

Respondents expressed frustration with the cease-fire that ended the operation with Hamas still in power in the Gaza Strip. Fifty-eight percent said the IDF should have been allowed to continue the operation in order to degrade the terrorist organization’s military abilities and called the truce a mistake that wastes the achievements of the Israeli armed forces.

Thirty-three percent said the cease-fire was a correct step that could lead toward a diplomatic solution to the Palestinian conflict via PA President Mahmoud Abbas and moderate Arab states like Egypt, and 9% had no opinion.

While a Channel 2 poll broadcasted on Wednesday found that only 32% of Israelis were satisfied with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, he fared better in the Post’s survey.

Nearly half of the respondents, 49%, said they were satisfied with Netanyahu’s performance, 26% said it was mediocre, 20% called it bad, and 5% had no opinion.

...

When asked which party they would vote for if an election were held now, respondents went overwhelmingly with the Right. According to the poll, the Right would win 84 of the 120 Knesset seats, up from its current 61.

The Likud would win 32 mandates, Bayit Yehudi 18, Yisrael Beytenu 17, Labor 12, United Torah Judaism 10, Yesh Atid nine, Shas seven, Meretz six and Arab parties nine.

Notice that the Tzippi Livni party - which Netanyahu fawned over in the aftermath of the last elections - disappeared.

Unless there's enough discontent in the Likud to make the coalition uncontrollable, there won't be new elections now. There is no way Netanyahu wants to head a coalition of the Right like that. Yes, I know, just yesterday I wrote that there would be new elections within six months. Those two assessments don't contradict each other. I believe that there is enough discontent in the Likud and people like Danny Dannon and Moshe Feiglin will rock the boat.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Danny Danon, Gaza, Hamas, IDF, Israeli polls, Moshe Feiglin, Operation Protective Edge

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:37 AM 0 comments

Video: Wolf Blitzer grills Hamas' Osama Hamdan over blood libels

Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan has been making infrequent appearances on CNN in the past few weeks, but today Wolf Blitzer really held his feet to the fire. At issue here was what Blitzer called “disturbing” comments Hamdan made on television saying that Jews use Christian blood to make matzoh, a charge generally referred to as blood libel. Hamdan had said, “We all remember how the Jews used to slaughter Christians in order to mix their blood in their holy matzoh. This is not a figment of the imagination or something taken from a film. It is a fact acknowledged by their own books and historical evidence.”

Blitzer confronted Hamdan over that remark today. Hamdan, repeatedly, refused to directly answer Blitzer’s question. Instead, he argued that the truly disgusting rhetoric is coming from the Israelis. Hamdan told Blitzer, “They are misusing the words. I’ve said on the same occasion that we don’t have problems with the Jews… I have Jewish friends who are supporting the Palestinian rights.”

At no point did Hamdan address those controversial remarks themselves. But what Blitzer noticed is that not once did Hamdan issue any kind of denial for uttering such “an awful, awful smear.”

Let's go to the videotape.



Kind of tough when your Arabic gets translated into English, isn't it?

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, blood libel, CNN, Hamas, Moshe Feiglin, Osama Hamdan, Palestinian lies

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:14 PM 2 comments

Why Jerusalem was liberated

It's widely known that Israel had a deal with Jordan's King Hussein in 1967. Jordan would stay out of the upcoming war with Egypt and Syria, and Israel would not touch Jerusalem and the 'west bank.' The government ministers  - principally from the Labor party and (to their eternal shame) the National Religious Party - opposed taking Jerusalem's Old City, saying that they didn't want to rule over the Middle East equivalent of the Vatican.

It's also widely known that Jordan violated the deal and attacked Israel. What's not widely known (and I don't even recall reading an account like this in Michael Oren's seminal book on the war - which I read a few years ago) is why.

Moshe Feiglin tells the story of why Jordan broke the agreement. If you didn't believe until now that God was behind the entire war, this story ought to convince you.

The story is in Hebrew and there is an English translation. But it loses a lot in translation so if you can, read the Hebrew.

Labels: Egypt, Jordan, Jordan's King Hussein, Moshe Feiglin, Old City of Jerusalem, Six Day War, Temple Mount

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:11 PM 4 comments

The Feiglin plan

Moshe Feiglin spoke about his plan for Israel at Chabad Lubavitch in Toronto on May 6 2014.

This event was sponsored by the Jewish Defense League and the Toronto Zionist Council.

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: Israel is a Jewish state, Moshe Feiglin, one-state solution

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:25 AM 0 comments

His bark is louder than his bite

Renegade Likud MK Moshe Feiglin predicts that Jewish Home party MK Naftali Bennett will find a way to fold and stay in the government despite a decision to release 'Israeli Arab' terrorists.

“I don't want to prophesy about the future,” Feiglin told Arutz Sheva in an interview. But he expected that a compromise wording would be found, which would satisfy the Palestinian Authority (PA) and allow the release of terrorists, including Israeli Arabs, while enabling Jewish Home, led by Bennett, to remain in the government.

...

Last week, Jewish Home chairman Naftali Bennett announced that his party will leave the coalition if Israel agrees to release Israeli-Arab terrorists as part of a framework agreement to extend peace talks with the PA. But Feiglin said he doubted this would be the case. Feiglin said that he had raised the issue with Jewish Home already in the first round of prisoner releases, impressing upon Bennett and his fellow party MKs how unjust releasing terrorists was.

At least now, Feiglin said, the party had woken up to his message, and was at least publicly agreeing with him that the prisoner release was immoral and should not take place.

“The release of terrorists is a moral injustice that must opposed in any way possible,” said Feiglin. “I don't see any difference in their being Israeli or not. Just the opposite, with the Palestinian Authority demanding that they be released, we see who these Israeli Arabs really affiliate with.”

 Priorities man, priorities!

Labels: Israeli Arab, Jewish Home party, Moshe Feiglin, Naftali Bennett, Palestinian terrorists

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:57 AM 0 comments

Hypocrisy: US asks Israel not to release murderers of Americans, only murderers of Israelis

MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud) told a Knesset Interior committee hearing considering terrorist releases on Wednesday that the United States asked that Israel not release any terrorists who have the blood of American citizens on their hands. But releasing terrorists with Israeli blood on their hands is not only okay with Obama-Kerry - it's encouraged and even forced.

"A crazy situation is taking place in which terrorists enter prison with the understanding that it is only a matter of  time until American pressure will lead to their release," MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud Beytenu) said.

According to Feiglin, the US asked that Israel not release anyone who killed American citizens. The Likud Beytenu MK called for the government to reject the request.

As a potential 'beneficiary' of such a policy, I must ask: Is American Jewish blood redder than Israeli Jewish blood?

Substantively, the three members of the committee who remained in the room after an argument between committee chair Miri Regev (Likud) and MK Bassel Ghattas (Balad) voted to call on Prime Minister Netanyahu not to go through with the release of 'Israeli Arabs' - or at least to release 'Jewish terrorists' if the 'Israeli Arabs' are released.

The three MKs that remained in the room – Regev, Feiglin and MK David Tsur (Hatnua) – voted that they call on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu not to release Jewish or Arab security prisoners, but if Israeli Arabs are freed, then Jews should be, as well.

"We freed terrorists three times and didn't move forward in negotiations. There is still terror from Gaza and Abbas does not recognize the State of Israel as the Jewish State. We need to stop negotiations," the committee chairwoman said.

Regev also said Netanyahu should not connect the release of Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard to the release of Palestinian terrorists.

"We should teach the Americans what national honor means. They don't release one spy and we don't need to release murderers," Regev posited. "The comparison between freeing Pollard and freeing terrorists is not constructive. Pollard should have been released long ago."

The committee meeting was originally called to discuss criteria for choosing which prisoners are released, but the Prime Minister's Office refused to give information on the process and Prison Services had yet to receive a list of who is set to be freed this weekend, but said it would include Israeli Arabs.

Regev criticized the PMO for "disrespecting the committee and the Knesset" and said she plans to propose a bill that will not allow the government to release security prisoners without authorization from the Knesset.

I believe that there is supposed to be a separate authorization required for the release of 'Israeli Arabs' anyway. If yes, then the Knesset will have a chance to say its piece. 

Labels: gestures, hypocrisy, Israeli Arabs are a fifth column, Miri Regev, Moshe Feiglin, Palestinian terrorists, unilateral concessions

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:13 PM 0 comments

'Palestinians' stone Feiglin on Temple Mount, police bar Jews from site in response - UPDATED WITH VIDEO

This makes 'perfect' sense, doesn't it?

The 'Palestinians' stoned MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud-Beiteinu) and a group of 'right wing activists' on the Temple Mount on Thursday morning, and in response police banned Jews from the Mount.

Two Arab rioters were arrested Thursday for attempting to attack MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud Beteinu) as he visited the Temple Mount. Hundreds of rioters threw stones at Feiglin and several individuals who accompanied him. Feiglin was forced to leave the site, and police took steps to break up the riot.

As a result of the riot, the Temple Mount was closed Thursday morning to Jews and to tourists.

You didn't really think they'd clear the Arab rioters from the Mount, did you? 

After being forced to leave the site Thursday, Feiglin said that “the incidents today show more than ever that the Temple Mount is such a powderkeg specifically because it is clear to the Palestinians that violence pays off. Israeli weakness encourages this violence.”

Police, Feiglin said, did an admirable job of protecting the Jews and tourists caught up in the riot and putting down the riot. “But cutting our visit short and clearing the Mount of Jews on the one hand while allowing the rioters to remain on the other left the victory in the hands of those who initiated the violence, and will only encourage more violence.”

Yes, especially when it's the second time this week that's happened.  

On Sunday, Housing and Construction Minister Uri Ariel (Jewish Home) was also forced to leave the Temple Mount after rioters threw stones at him. Then, too, police cleared the Mount of non-Muslims.

“A reality in which rioters determine the day's agenda on the Temple Mount, and prevent Jewish visitors from ascending [to the Mount], is unacceptable," Ariel stated after the visit. "I went up to the Mount this morning, I intend to keep on doing so in the future, and I demand that security forces help keep Jewish sovereignty intact and allow any Jew to ascend to the Mount freely."

Har HaBayit b'Yadeinu? (The Temple Mount is in our hands)?

UPDATE 1:34 PM

Here's video of Feiglin's visit (sorry, Hebrew only).

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: Jerusalem police, Moshe Feiglin, Temple Mount, Uri Ariel, Wakf

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:31 PM 1 comments

'Jewish Home' party to support bill to strip Chief Rabbinate of powers over conversion?

In an earlier post, I reported on the pact with the devil made by the main parties in the coalition. Each of Likud/Beiteinu, Yesh Atid and Jewish Home agreed to force every member of its Knesset delegation to support three bills - electoral reform, Haredi draft and referendum. The tactic worked and the last of the bills - the referendum bill - passed the Knesset on Wednesday.

But there's a fourth party in the coalition - the Tzipi Livni party - which also voted in favor of all three bills. I hope you didn't think they're not getting something too. And indeed they are. The Hebrew daily Maariv is reporting on Thursday that the coalition has agreed to support the Tzipi Livni party's bill to strip the Chief Rabbinate of its exclusive powers over conversion in Israel.. Et tu Naftali Bennett?

The legislation, put forth by MK Elazar Stern (Hatnua), would allow city rabbis to conduct conversions, and would allow potential converts to choose the beit din (rabbinic court) they wish to convert with. Currently, would-be converts are restricted to conversion via the rabbinic court in their place of residence.

The bill’s supporters say it will ease the process of conversion to Judaism while ensuring that state-recognized conversions adhere to the requirements of halakha (Jewish law). Opponents warn that it could effectively strip the Chief Rabbinate of its authority over conversions, and could ultimately lead to rabbis being forced to accept a definition of Jewishness that contradicts Jewish law.

Stern reportedly received a promise of Coalition support for his bill, and in exchange, retracted objections he had made to various clauses in the Enlistment Bill.

Sources in Hatnua and Likud explained, “Hatnua was unhappy that it was being forced to support three laws, each of which it had some problems with, without the party getting support for any law associated with it. That led to the agreement on promoting Stern’s conversion bill.”

Given what's currently going on in America over precisely this issue, is this really the direction in which  we want to go?

Given that the 'Jewish Home' party regards itself as the primary proponent of the idea that the state institutions of the State of Israel (qua State) has religious significance, is the 'Jewish Home' party actually going to support this bill?

I can name two MK's - one from Jewish Home and one from Likud - who probably won't. Yoni Chetboun from Jewish Home and Moshe Feiglin from Likud. I have to wonder what others will do.

Labels: Chief Rabbinate, Jewish converts, Jewish Home party, Jewish law, Moshe Feiglin, Naftali Bennett, Tzipi Livni, Yoni Chetboun

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:26 PM 2 comments

It's official: 'Equal burden' law passes Knesset

In 2014, Israel is about to become the only country in the world where a Jew can be jailed for studying Torah. That's because on Wednesday morning, the 'equal burden' law passed the Knesset 67-1, the one being Yoni Chetboun of the Jewish Home party. The opposition, a hodgepodge of parties from the Right and the Left, boycotted the session, as they did Tuesday's session on electoral reform. The law includes criminal sanctions against boys who opt to study Torah rather than join the IDF.

This is from the first link.

"This is a historic, important bill," MK Ayelet Shaked (Bayit Yehudi), who led the Knesset committee to prepare the legislation, declared. "For 65 years there was an exemption for all yeshiva students and the change the coalition made is proportionate and gradual and correct."

Shaked added that she "believes in the haredi public and that it will reach the [enlistment] goals the government set. If there will be cooperation from haredi leadership, there will not be mandatory enlistment.

Good luck with that. 

Back to the first link again...

"I imagine this court will reach the High Court by tomorrow. I hope the judges will read the protocols of the committee meetings and see that even if the law is not equal it has a worthy goal, which is why I think it will stand the test of the High Court," she added.

Immediately after the new law passed., the Movement for Quality Government petitioned the High Court against it.

Since when does a 'worthy goal' get a law through the 'High Court'? Oh wait, I forgot, it depends who thinks the goal is 'worthy.'

Science and Technology Minister Yaakov Peri, who headed a committee on the matter of haredi enlistment, said following the passage of the bill, " For the first time, an issue at the heart of the conflict of Israeli society, will be solved. Dramatic change will come."

 Right....

Meanwhile, Likud MK Moshe Feiglin praised Jewish Home MK Yoni Chetboun for having the courage of his convictions... but Feiglin did not join him in voting against.

"Yesterday, I sent an SMS of support to MK Yoni Chetboun,” wrote Feiglin on Facebook. “Not because I agree with him – but simply because I appreciate any person who goes against the stream and is willing to pay a price for standing up for his principles. I did this with MK Adi Kol, also, after she veered a little from the sacred Coalition discipline and was tarred and feathered by her boss.

"This whole idea of Coalition discipline needs rethinking,” Feiglin added. “Is it really the only way?”

"Sometimes, I entertain 'heretical' thoughts. I would like to set up a government without Coalition discipline. Let every MK be truly responsible for the laws he passes and also for maintaining the government. Let changing wall-to-wall coalitions and oppositions form around every law. Let the Knesset cease being a 'law machine' and restore lost pride to itself and its members.”

Fat chance. Take responsibility for their actions? In what world?

Chetboun had clear vision about this bill.

“On the one hand, the members of the Jewish Home party, and chief among them MK Ayelet Shaked, really made a very significant effort so that this law, as I have said in the past, will be workable for the hareidi community,” he told Arutz Sheva Tuesday. "On the other hand, as time goes on – and particularly over the last twenty-four hours – I feel that we are creating a serious schism between us and the Torah world, and the hareidi community.”

“I see Israeli society being split apart by this law. I’m sure nobody meant for that to happen,” he continued. Talk surrounding the law “is creating a message that is against the Torah world, against the yeshivas. That disrespects them,” he lamented. “I felt deep inside that I must listen to my conscience, and that I cannot vote for this law."

By the way, Yesh Atid's Adi Kol said that she voted in favor of the law, but didn't really support it. Where would be without coalition discipline?

Labels: Ayelet Shaked, draft, God, Haredim, IDF, Moshe Feiglin, Torah, Yoni Chetboun

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:30 AM 2 comments

Yair Lapid's Purim shpiel

In a sharp Facebook post, Moshe Feiglin, a longtime advocate for a volunteer army, blasts what he calls Yair Lapid's Purim shpiel.

“The last thing that Lapid wants is for hareidi men to flood the army. But the system of ‘screw them over’ and win votes is working wonderfully for him,” he charged.

“The last thing the army wants is the hareidi community – the military is already carrying the weight of the roughly 50% of soldiers who aren’t needed,” he argued. “More enlisted soldiers, with special needs regarding kosher food and gender segregation – who needs it? But the Chief of Staff will never say that publicly.”

“Many hareidi youth actually want to enlist,” he continued. “To finally be part of their country, to be able to earn an honest living.”

“But of course, they’ll be at the protest, to preserve their place in the flock,” he said.

“For hareidi leaders, Lapid is worth his weight in gold. In today’s reality of Internet and smart phones, it’s not easy to keep the youth isolated from Israeli culture. The ‘demon’ Lapid, the ‘Amaleki Titus,’ allows them to build the walls higher,” he accused.

“Just like a real Purim ball,” he wrote. “Each person arrives with a mask that is the inverse of reality.”

That's largely true. In the last ten years, thousands of Haredi men decided they weren't cut out for yeshiva and went to the army. Netzach Yisrael, the Haredi army brigade, is the largest combat unit in the army. Lapid has all-but-closed it. If we were getting to the point that there was no shame in having a family member go to the army, that is no longer the case.

But then, this isn't the first time Lapid has harmed the army according to Feiglin.

“Tell me please, who contributed more to Israel’s security – Yair Lapid or Yisrael Eichler?” he asked in a post to his Facebook page. MK Eichler, who is hareidi, did not serve in the military.

“I don’t mean to start a discussion on the importance of Torah learning – which I definitely believe in – but let’s say Eichler learned Chinese all day. Who contributed more to defense – him or Lapid?” he continued.

“Of course it was Eichler,” he argued, explaining, “When Eichler reached age 18, he didn’t bother anyone, there was no need to deal with him for three years in exchange for zero productive contribution to Israel’s defense. Eichler didn’t steal resources at the expense of security.

“So Eichler contributed more than Lapid,” Feiglin concluded.

Lapid served in the army as a military correspondent for the IDF’s Bamahaneh magazine. He is a vocal proponent of imposing criminal sanctions on hareidi men who do not enlist in the IDF.

Most soldiers currently serving in the army take more in terms of state resources than they contribute in terms of defense, Feiglin argued. The solution, he said, is a professional, volunteer army.

“All this stupidity of ‘equal burden of service’ means increasing the hidden unemployment in the army, increasing the national debt, and worst of all – weakening our defense,” he argued.

“We need a professional volunteer army – not political populism,” he concluded.

 Indeed.

Labels: Haredim, IDF, Moshe Feiglin, Yair Lapid

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:33 PM 0 comments

Will the Knesset have the courage to say 'enough'?

Police clashed with 'Palestinians' on the Temple Mount once again Tuesday morning... as soon as the Mughrabi Gate leading to the Mount was opened.

Police clashed with dozens of Palestinian youths at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem who threw rocks and fireworks at them following the opening of the Mughrabi gate. Some of the men wore masks, according to police.

Three young men were arrested, while the rest were dispersed by a stun grenade thrown by police. According to Palestinian media, several of the youths were injured. The Israel Police said no Palestinians were injured.

Two police officers suffered light injuries; one from a firework and the other from the rocks. They were treated on site before being taken to Shaare Zekek Medical Center in Jerusalem.

Perhaps the reason for this warm welcome is that, after chickening out last week, the Knesset is due to take up a bill by MK Moshe Feiglin on Tuesday, which attempts to affirm Israeli sovereignty over the Mount. 

The more we lose our sovereignty on the Temple Mount, the more the world turns against us. When we safeguard our rights, the world respects that. After the 6 Day War in 1967, Moshe Dayan and the State of Israel gave religious sovereignty on the Temple Mount to the Moslems, out of respect for their religious beliefs. But they did not mean to give the Jordanians actual sovereignty. Israel’s respectful approach was taken advantage of by the Arabs and today no sign of Israeli sovereignty is allowed on the Temple Mount. We want Israeli sovereignty  on the Temple Mount to be affirmed in a clear statement by the Knesset this Tuesday. Every MK who said “If I forget thee o’ Jerusalem, may my right hand lose its cunning” under his or her chuppah must make it his/her business to be at this all-important deliberation.

Let's see who shows up. 

Labels: Moshe Feiglin, Six Day War, Temple Mount, Wakf

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:08 AM 0 comments

The Temple Mount is in our hands?

It's been more than 46 years since the IDF radioed that the Temple Mount is in our hands. And now that the Knesset is considering a bill to finally put the Temple Mount into 'our hands' the 'Palestinian Authority' and Hamas are going ballistic. You see, until now, it has not really been in 'our hands.' And the 'Palestinians' want to keep it that way.

PA Minister for Religious Affairs Mahmoud al-Habbash said that there would be no sovereignty over the Aqsa Mosque and Islamic and Christian holy sites other than Palestinian sovereignty. “This is the full right of the Arab, including Muslims and Christians,” he said.

Al-Habbash claimed that Israel has plans to “divide” the Aqsa Mosque. “These efforts won’t succeed,” he added.

He was referring to routine visits by Jews to the Temple Mount and calls by some Israelis to impose Israeli sovereignty over the compound.

The PA minister said that only Muslims were entitled to pray at the holy site.

The Knesset is set to hold a plenary discussion on Tuesday to discuss a proposal by MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud) to place the Temple Mount under Israeli supervision.

Another top PA official was quoted as warning Israel against the consequences of “desecrating the holy sites in Jerusalem.” Israel, he charged, is “playing with fire.”

In the Gaza Strip, Hamas representative Yunis al-Astal accused Israel of plotting to “destroy” the Aqsa mosque in order to build the Third Temple.

Unfortunately, I doubt the Knesset will ever pass the bill, and even if they do, you can bet that it will never be enforced.

Labels: Moshe Feiglin, Temple Mount

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:14 AM 1 comments

Jewish Home gets positive bounce from Bennett's non-apology

A new poll indicates that the Jewish Home party got a positive bounce from party leader Naftali Bennett's non-apology to Prime Minister Netanyahu. This is from the first link.

Bayit Yehudi sources continued to insist that Economy Minister Naftali Bennett did not apologize to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu following the latter’s ultimatum, as the party got a five-seat boost in polls on Thursday.

“The ultimatum [apologize or be fired from the cabinet] did not influence Bennett. He just didn’t want to insult Netanyahu.

His goal was not to disrespect the prime minister, and he fixed things responsibly,” Bayit Yehudi faction chairwoman Ayelet Shaked said.

...

Meanwhile, a Knesset Channel- Panels poll – conducted in part before and in part after Bennett said he did not mean to offend Netanyahu – showed Bayit Yehudi jumping from 12 to 17 Knesset seats (out of 120) if an election were held now.

Likud Beytenu dropped one seat in the poll, to 30, followed by Labor going from 15 to 19.

Yesh Atid would drop from 19 to 12 seats, Meretz would gain five seats for a total of 11, Shas would go down to seven, and United Torah Judaism stayed as-is with seven. Hatnua, Hadash and Balad each got four seats, followed by the United Arab List- Ta’al at three and Kadima staying at its current two.

This article has a lot of references to Likud ministers criticizing Netanyahu on the same grounds as Bennett did, but the truth is that with the notable exception of Moshe Feiglin, criticism of Netanyahu within his own party has been subdued. There's a lesson here for those Likud MK's - who comprise a majority of the Knesset faction - who are not happy with where Netanyahu is trying to take the country with the 'peace process.' Speak up and you will be rewarded. 

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Jewish Home party, Likud party, Moshe Feiglin, Naftali Bennett

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:23 AM 0 comments