Likud Knesset candidate Moshe Feiglin unleashed his fiercest-ever attack on the
Bayit Yehudi party over the weekend, accusing its voters of “putting their heads
in the sand” and allowing themselves to be deceived.
In an article in the
Makor Rishon newspaper that Feiglin posted on his website, the Likud candidate
wrote that it has been proven over the past four years that when it comes to the
two key issues of who will give more to the religious- Zionist sector and who
will better protect the Land of Israel, the advantage of a significant
faith-based power base within the ruling party is clear and
unequivocal.
Feiglin wrote that they say in America “you can’t fool all
the people all the time,” but Israelis say that “old pushovers don’t die, they
are just replaced with new pushovers.”
Noting the results of last month’s
Likud primary, he said the national ruling party had opened its gates to the
faith-based public as never before. Feiglin took credit for the party’s Knesset
candidates list including seven settlers and many religious-Zionists in
realistic slots.
“Why does the education minister send all Israeli
students to the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron?” Feiglin asked rhetorically.
“Because of the members of Bayit Yehudi? Why does Transportation Minister Israel
Katz pave every road he can in Judea and Samaria? Because of Bayit Yehudi MK Uri
Orbach?” Feiglin urged the religious- Zionist public to remember that Bayit
Yehudi’s forerunner, the National Religious Party (NRP) failed to stop the
destruction of Jewish communities in Sinai in 1982 and in Gush Katif in
2005.
“Whoever has forgotten the entire sad history of sectarian politics
is invited to once again enjoy himself in the sectarian back yard,” Feiglin
wrote. “Look yourself in the mirror and answer honestly.
And then go to
vote. But no putting your head in the sand.
No buying the line that a
new, improved NRP middleman with a secular fig leaf has suddenly morphed into
the Likud and will lead the country.”
Orbach responded that Feiglin was
deluding himself if he believed that by being in the Likud he would have a real
impact on the policies of the prime minister.
“I am happy the Likud found
something to do with its religious-Zionist candidates,” Orbach said
mockingly.
“The Likud is using them against the up and coming force in
religious Zionism, which is Bayit Yehudi.
Instead of being the Jewish
leaders they claimed to be, Feiglin and his allies have become servants of their
secular masters.”
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