Likud Central Committee votes on internal elections
Some 2,500 members vote on postponing elections to party positions. PM urges his supporters to vote: 'Complacency' is our biggest enemy
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted Thursday in the Likud Central Committee on whether to bring forward the elections for party positions. This is not an easy issue for the prime minister, who urged 2,500 members of the Central Committee to vote. The ballot will remain open till 10:00 pm, and the results will be published a couple of hours later.
"This is a hard task," Netanyahu said in Metzudat Zeev, where he cast his vote. "The threshold of two-thirds of voters is high, but I trust the Likud to focus on larger national objectives. Our biggest enemy is complacency – if they are against, they'll still come to vote. And if they're in favor, they'll get 'David and Moshe' for vote for them."
"I haven't singled out anyone as an enemy," the prime minister continued. "This has generally been a national movement in support of Menachem Begin, peace and the IDF. If the vote doesn't go the way I hope, most members understand this will mean we'll need to be active in the coming months which will prevent us from focusing on the main issues.
"This is the time for the party to help in practice," the prime minister continued. "We respect the legal framework. Our task is to do what we need to do via a majority of two-thirds. The truth is, it will be very difficult, but nonetheless this is what we'll do."
While Netanyahu hopes to postpone the Likud internal elections by many months, the right-wing branch of the party under the leadership of Moshe Feiglin are lining up against the prime minister. Feiglin can boast some 600 supporters among Central Committee members who demand elections within the coming months.
Feiglin and supporters in Bet Shemesh (Photo: Roi Mandel)
This demand stems from the belief that the construction freeze in the settlements, and Netanyahu's verbal support for the two-state solution, has caused many Likud supporters to head further to the right. They hope that if they manage to solidify their positions in the party, they will be able to compel Netanyahu to adopt a more hawkish position.
"This is a vote about the future of Jerusalem," Feiglin said. "If Netanyahu intended to protect Jerusalem he wouldn't be so wary of his own party and make such an effort to neutralize it. The tired witch-hunting techniques are supposed to draw members' attention away from Jerusalem's fate and towards internal party struggles. Netanyahu's insistence on forbidding the presence of observers testifies to his dark intentions , and casts doubt on the credibility of the elections."
Netanyahu held a series of meetings during the last few days with Central Committee members around the country. "Together we'll do what seems almost impossible, because it is good for the party and right for the State," he said.
Central Committee Chairman Moshe Kahlon agreed with the prime minister, saying, "The biggest enemy of Netanyahu's supporters is complacency. I put my trust in the responsibility of members coming to vote."
Attila Somfalvi also contributed to this report
