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Bibi warns Likud members not to back Feiglin
Chairman fears support for hard-line rightist politician may hurt party in coming elections. Feiglin: I fear only God and my wife
Associates of Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday warned the party's Knesset members, and those seeking a slot on its roster, not to attend a rally organized by Moshe Feiglin, leader of the Likud's Jewish Leadership faction.
Likud officials fear that any show of support for Feiglin, who is known for his hard-line rightist views, will help him land a top spot on the party's Knesset roster in the primary elections.
Should that happen, they warned, it would be detrimental to the party's campaign ahead of the February 10 general elections.
Feiglin told Ynet in response "he who resorts to scare tactics is revealing something about himself. I fear no one - except God and my wife, a little."
During the rally, which was held in Jerusalem later on in the evening, Feiglin told hundreds of his supporters "our goal is a Jewish state based on our eternal values. As you know, Netanyahu snubbed my offer to shake his hand after he won the previous primary elections. My hand is still held out. The Likud is on a roll; we shouldn't make due with 38 mandates, but rather strive for 48."
As for the Likud MKs, who heeded Netanyahu's call and remained absent from the rally, Feiglin said "the terrifying call that prevented a number of people from coming here, although they wanted to very much, was not initiated from within the Likud party but from the faceless tyrant who can decide who will be indicted and who will be investigated."
Meanwhile, Knesset Member Zeev Elkin announced he was defecting from Kadima to Likud and would be seeking a spot on its roster in the December 15 primaries. During a joint press conference with Netanyahu, the MK said "the Kadima I knew doesn't exist anymore".
Netanyahu told reporters that Likud would hold on to the education portfolio. "I want to make it clear that education will be under Likud's control – not Shas'," he said.
Asked for his reaction to Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's remark that all secular teachers were "asses", Netanyahu said "I categorically reject this statement."
