Feiglin won't appeal bump to 36th spot

Citing lack of faith in Likud's internal court system, the proverbial thorn in party chairman Netanyahu's side waves white flag of defeat after being shoved from coveted 20th slot on roster for upcoming elections to the unrealistic 36th

Amnon Meranda |Last update: 12.11.08 , 21:15

Moshe Feiglin, the head of the Jewish Leadership Movement who recently landed the 20th slot on the Likud roster for the upcoming general elections, was bumped to the unrealistic 36th spot by the party's Elections Committee on Thursday. Through his media advisor, Feiglin said he would not appeal the decision in court.

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"I have no faith in the legal system, the only faith I have is in the Likud voters who will support me wherever I chose to go," Feiglin said on Thursday evening through his media advisor. The statement contradicted his earlier proclamation in which he vowed to appeal the decision to bump him down the list.

Speaking with Ynet, Feiglin himself explained the change of stance: "I intended to appeal but reconsidered. On the way to Jerusalem I realized there is just no point in doing so. I don't believe in the High Court of Justice.

"The court is not my way to the Knesset. The people will put me in the Knesset, despite of and to spite Netanyahu. Even if they put me in the 40th spot I will reach the Knesset. I call on the public not to fall for the trap Netanyahu has set."

Just hours earlier Fieglin vowed the battle was far from over. Speaking with Ynet he said: "It's clear to me that there will have to be a legal battle," he said. "I am confident we will win this battle because the constitution is not up for interpretation. The Likud will lose this battle.

"The Elections Committee is composed of politicians and it couldn't stand the enormous pressure placed on it by Bibi and his staff.... Now the matter is being transferred to the courts. I know the Likud and the public is with me, and that everyone understands Netanyahu is making a fool of himself. The truth will come out and nothing will help him."

The petition against Feiglin was submitted by Ophir Ekonis, number 28 on the roster and a close associate of Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu.

In the petition Akunis claimed that since the women in the party were elected to higher positions than the slots secured for them, those slots should go to the members elected by the districts, such as Akunis, who was elected by the Tel Aviv district.

He claimed these members should be allotted the higher slots at the expense of the nationally elected members, such as Feiglin.

The decision places Feiglin in a slot that may not grant him the status of MK in the next Knesset, as recent polls have awarded the Likud no more than 30 mandates.

Likud hardliner Moshe Feiglin's communications director, Amnon Shomrom, said that he was not surprised by the party's Elections Committee decision to demote Feiglin to the 36th slot on its Knesset roster, despite his winning the No. 20 slot in the primaries.

"The Netanyahu committee is simply complying with the chairman's every demand," he said, adding that Feiglin's will use every legal recourse at his disposal to overturn the decision, including filing a High Court petition against it.