Editor of B'Sheva Newspaper: Register for Likud

In last week's Hebrew B'Sheva newspaper, Editor Emanuel Shilo wrote a scathing critique of PM Netanyahu's term in office to date. Shilo is not a Manhigut Yehudit member. In his editorials he has consistently supported the national religious parties. But the conclusion in his editorial is the same as Manhigut Yehudit's: Register for the Likud.

Registration for the Likud is another route that can have a dramatic effect on Netanyahu's government.

Membership in a party that elects its heads and Knesset roster in primaries affords its members highly significant influence on the character of the political system. Voters who vote Likud in the general elections determine the number of MKs that the Likud will receive. But only the party members, who assemble its roster, determine who those MKs will be –( leftists) such as Assaf Hefetz, Uzi Dayan and Dan Meridor, or (rightists) Benny Begin, Gilad Ardan and Tzippy Hotobeli. In the case of the Likud, which is a party that aims to lead the country, party members elect not only the Knesset roster, but also the person who will be prime minister if and when their party wins the general elections.

The political power of one ballot in the Likud primaries is the same as 20-30 ballots in the general elections. The mathematics behind this is simple. On Election Day, each individual votes once. His vote is approximately one of 25,000 votes that will add another MK from his favorite small party to the Knesset roster. On the other hand, on Likud primaries day, one can vote for more than ten candidates. Each vote is approximately one of 12,000 votes needed to enter into a realistic slot on the Knesset roster.

There is no reason why a good Jew who wishes to influence the character of Israel's political system should forgo his right and obligation to fashion the roster of the party closest to his heart. As long as there is no possibility to or significance in joining a party of the Religious Zionist camp, it would be very worthwhile that a few thousand rightists register for the Likud as soon as possible. When Likud MKs and ministers internalize the fact that their political future depends not only on Netanyahu, but also on thousands of Religious Nationalist voters, they will think twice before they are interested in supporting the new pro-Palestinian policies of the head of their party.
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