A Likud activist who a was a strong supporter of outgoing KM Moshe Feiglin posted on his Facebook page Thursday a message encouraging people to stick with the Likud.
Temple Activist Yehuda Glick, who shares with Feiglin the objective of allowing Jews to pray on the Temple Mount, also is staying with the Likud instead of following Feiglin to a new party he wants to form.
Feiglin announced on Monday he is leaving the Likud.
Gidon Ariel, a Likud activist for English speakers, wrote Thursday on Facebook,
As you may know, I have been a Likud activist for over ten years, and many of you are members of the Likud because of my efforts.
I have never hidden the fact that my presence in the Likud is not to be a yes-man to anyone, but to defend the Likud’s stated values as clarified in its constitution, through supporting activists and MKs who carry that banner, speaking for the party in the media, running for office, and other activities.
I now count hundreds of rank and file members and more than a dozen Central committee members as people who respect my recommendations.
I joined the Likud with Moshe Feiglin, and while I am a close friend of his and his inner circle, they all know that the hundreds of people who I signed up to the Likud over the years are “mine,” not “theirs.”…
I continue to believe that the best place that a supporter of Eretz Yisrael can make a significant impact is within the Likud.
I am staying in the Likud, I encourage my friends to stay, and if you aren’t a member yet, I urge you to consider joining.
Ariel formerly lived in Maaleh Adumim and moved to the community of Maaleh Hever in the southern Hebron Hills two years ago.
Earlier this week, Glick delivered a similar message to Ariel’s.
He praised Feiglin’s character and philosophy but added he is staying in the Likud “so that the next elections will have a large party representation.”
Glick is on an “unrealistic” spot on the Likud party list and recently said he is “running” more for symbolic purposes than with any intent to be elected a Knesset Member.
Feiglin’s idea was to sign up thousands of people who used to support the former national religious Mafdal party and form a large block in the Likud, which has said has left its true principles that he represents.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and most senior party leaders never have been happy with Feiglin’s presence and have kept him off a realistic place on the Knesset last until the last elections.
In the party primaries last week, they made enough deals to make sure Feiglin would not return to the Knesset.