Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Netanyahu rallies for likud support : Feiglin shouldn't preach to us

(Ynet).Prime Minister Benjamin Netahyahu is touring the country in a bid to convince his party members to support a motion aimed at changing the Likud constitution in a vote scheduled to take place this Thursday.

On Tuesday, the prime minister was the guest of Likud Central Committee members in the southern city of Ashkeklon and used the opportunity to slam party hardliner Moshe Feiglin and his supporters.

"Such impudence," he said. "They won't to teach Bogie (Vice Premier Moshe Yaalon) and me how to protect Jerusalem. They should not preach to us, neither about heritage nor about the Bible. We are not a marginal sect.

Netanyahu was accompanied to the meeting by Ministers Yaalon, Moshe Kahlon and Yisrael Katz, Deputy Minister Gila Gamliel and Knesset members.

The prime minister added that US President Barack Obama and European leaders were well aware of Israel's stand on Jerusalem.

Later Tuesday, Netanyahu is expected to attend a Likud convention in Tel Aviv's Exhibition Grounds, and on Wednesday he is scheduled to take part in additional Likud events across the country.

The prime minister's address was relatively short, but he spoke enthusiastically about changing the constitution. "We must focus on the important issues of the State of Israel, we need more party members in order to be able to quietly handle important issues like the Iranian nuclear program and the talks with US President Obama. We need the government to focus on the important issues instead of having to run from place to place."

Minister Yaalon spoke about security-related issues and the calm in the region. "The Palestinians are afraid," he said, "because they know we will respond firmly to any demonstration of power."