Feiglin backer hijacks www.netanyahu.com

Site became parody blog that pokes fun at Netanyahu, created by a mystery man called Nathan Horowitz.

By ILANA DIAMOND
feiglin looks up 298.88 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
feiglin looks up 298.88
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
If you log on to www.netanyahu.com, you would expect to find a Web site promoting Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu. And at first glance, that's what it appears to be. The site counts down the days to the August 14 Likud leadership race and includes links to campaign slogans, pictures, Netanyahu's voting record and his plans for stopping Iran. But the site is a parody blog that pokes fun at Netanyahu, created by a mystery man called Nathan Horowitz who supports the candidacy of Likud central committee member Moshe Feiglin, the head of the Jewish Leadership group who is running against Netanyahu. The slogans on the site include: "Netanyahu - Peace for Israel, a piece at a time" and "Netanyahu - Principles so strong only I can break them." The pictures on the site show Netanyahu shaking hands affectionately with Yasser Arafat. When The Jerusalem Post first looked at the Web site on Monday, there was nothing other than the jokes to suggest that the site was a parody, but a disclaimer has since been added. Horowitz said he created the parody site because he used to support Netanyahu, but he no longer feels he is the right man to lead the country. Horowitz's grievances against Netanyahu include the Hebron and Wye agreements he signed as prime minister and his votes for disengagement from the Gaza Strip. "I had great hopes about him," Horowitz said. "But since 1996, he betrayed the country and I decided to make this parody site to show with some humor how he is not the best choice for prime minister." Horowitz, who would only speak to the Post via e-mail, refused to give any background information as to who he is, where he lives, or what he does for a living. Horowitz said he has no link to Feiglin and that none of Feiglin's cohorts asked him to create the site. Asked about the Web site, Feiglin responded with confusion, saying, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm not even involved in my own Web site." Netanyahu's associates declined to comment. Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.