Likud Knesset candidate Moshe Feiglin lashed out at his own party’s strategists
on Sunday for their campaign accusing Bayit Yehudi chairman Naftali Bennett of
supporting refusing military orders.
Since Bennett made controversial
statements on the matter Thursday night, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Vice
Premier Moshe Ya’alon and other top Likud leaders have taken turns severely
criticizing Bennett. The Likud even published unsigned advertisements in two
newspapers accusing Bennett of being irresponsible.
“I don’t understand
the campaign against Bennett, which I think helps him at Likud’s expense,”
Feiglin said. “I am concerned that the campaign will send the votes of
crocheted kippot [religious Zionists] to Bennett.”
Feiglin, who is 23rd
on the joint Likud-Yisrael Beytenu list, suggested that Netanyahu was bashing
Bennett because he did not want the rightist Bayit Yehudi in his
coalition.
A longtime supporter of refusing orders to evacuate
settlements, Feiglin said he was upset that Bennett had scaled back his initial
comments on the issue and started “making excuses after finally making a
principled statement.” Feiglin said he would not hide his views on the
matter.
“I will still try to express my point of view, knowing it’s not
the dominant view in Likud,” Feiglin said.
Feiglin published a statement
on Facebook and Twitter explaining that he always supported conscientious
objectors on the Left and Right who were ready to accept serious punishments for
acting in accordance with their conscience.
“The idea that every soldier
and citizen must adhere to every order and law in any situation goes against the
concepts of Judaism, freedom and democracy,” Feiglin said.
“Especially in
a Jewish state, it is important to remember what happens to people who do not
listen to their conscience.
Conscientious objectors do not cause the
disintegration of the army or the state. On the contrary, they set ethical
boundaries and create a society that is more ethical and stable.”