MK Dov Khenin (Hadash) on Tuesday attacked the Likud over its new extreme right-wing party list, and called for the Israeli electorate to support left-wing parties to counter the new political reality. “The Likud turned into the house of the ‘Feiglinites’ overnight,” Khenin said. “Menachem Begin would not recognize the party that just ousted (Benny) Begin, Dan Meridor and Michael Eitan. The party moved far right of even the National Union party. Facing this extreme Right, we must not move to the center. It is now necessary to strengthen the Left.”

Hadash demonstrators in front of the Likud headquarters in Tel-Aviv (Metzudat Ze’ev) during the last deadly Israeli military operation in Gaza, November 15, 2012 (Photo: Hadash)

According to journalist Noam Sheizaf: “The Likud, Israel’s ruling party the last four years held its primaries on Sunday and Monday. The outcome was somewhat expected but is still stunning, and more than anything, it reveals the deep change Israel is going through. The top of the ticket will be held by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Roughly one-third of the seats will go to Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beitenu party, as part of the deal on the joint ticket the two parties reached (Lieberman himself will hold the number two spot); therefore, only the first 20 candidates on the Likud list are expected to enter the Knesset. All the so-called Likud ‘moderates,’ except for Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, were pushed out of the top seed and will probably be out of the Knesset; that includes ministers Benny Begin, Michael Eitan and Dan Meridor. The most vocal backbenchers – those behind attacks on the Left, Arabs and human rights NGOs – won the day. The Likud looks right now like the Tea Party’s dream team.”

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