An internal rift between World Likud factions is delaying elections and disrupting coalition negotiations for key positions at the World Zionist Congress, with both sides blaming the other for obstruction.
Internal dispute between factions in the World. Likud breaks the ability to work with other lists in World Zionist Congress develop coalition agreements for positions in Israel's national institutions, with two separate factions of Likud negotiating for top positions.
The World Likud faction is headed by the Chairman of the World Zionist Organization. Yaakov HagoelThe Likud Israel faction is headed by Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar. Both are contenders for leadership of the World Likud, and both blame the other for delaying the World Likud Conference and elections due to the other's perceived fear of losing.
However, according to a statement from the head of the Likud World Election Committee, Sarah Frisch, it was Zohar who insisted on Friday that elections be held before the start of the WCC on Tuesday. Frisch said the Hagoel World Likud party rejected the call on Sunday, citing concerns about the rush of the process.
The delay is the latest in a series of conference delays and disputes over the process. Many delegates in Israel and the Diaspora supported Zohar's call for elections amid concerns about the GLC negotiations.
In a statement to the movement's leadership on Sunday, Frisch said there would be no elections on Monday, but said there were no obstacles to holding the conference. The committee was a body that regulated procedures, not the judiciary, which could not force the World Likud to hold elections, but Frisch said the Election Commission was ready to open the ballot boxes as soon as it was asked to do so.
Head of the World Zionist Organization Hagoel Yaakov. (Photo: MARK ISRAEL SELLEM)
World Likud said on Sunday there were problems with speeding up the democratic process as it would harm delegates' ability to participate.
Zohar argued that Hagoel's faction was obstructing the elections due to his weakened status in the movement. This situation is confirmed by other sources in WZC. Hagoel's allies are reported to be squabbling between factions, culminating in Zohar's announcement that MK David Bitan is running with him. Hagoel's representative denied this information. A spokesman for Bitan did not respond to requests for comment. prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu also reportedly supported Zohar's candidacy for leadership.
The lack of elections and the GLC coalition negotiations have complicated each other, and Zohar's office has warned that internal disputes are putting Likud in a compromising negotiating position.
“World Likud is not an employment enterprise, but a Zionist enterprise.”
“The people of World Likud are demanding a role from me in the negotiations for the conference – I am not ready for such blackmail.” – said Zohar. “Likud World is not an employment enterprise, but a Zionist enterprise, and it is important for connecting with Diaspora Jewry. Trying to postpone the conference is contrary to the Likud movement's path, it is not the Beitar movement's path, and the Likud World Conference must be held as soon as possible.”
The Eighth World Likud Conference was scheduled for August 14, but was postponed until September to allow the participation of the World Zionist Organization in the French elections. At the same time, controversy arose over the Likud election process. The global Likud wanted anonymous electronic voting for the first time, and Zohar wanted open voting. Zohar argued that some country branches are not official organs of Likud.
The delegates were also in contention, some of them being represented by virtue of their position. There was disagreement over who would represent the Zionist Organization of America at the conference.
Legal disputes delayed the conference but were resolved by Israel's Likud court on October 8, Frisch said. The conference was scheduled for October 19, and the list of candidates was finally published. The day before the conference, World Likud announced another request for a postponement.
