Likud minister warns combative singer will give party a bad rap

Likud Minister Tzachi Hanegbi has come out against an application by controversial far-right rapper Yoav Eliasi to become a member of the Likud party.

Eliasi, who goes by the stage name "Hatzel" ("The Shadow"), has a large social media following and often posts extremist right-wing views that spark online uproars. Last week, endorsed by Likud MK Oren Hazan, Eliasi applied to register as a full Likud member.

In a letter sent to Likud Director General Gadi Arieli Sunday, Hanegbi wrote that according to the party's bylaws, a membership application may be rejected if the party believes the statements or actions of the individual requesting to join it explicitly or implicitly contravene the party's ideology or objectives.

Hanegbi quoted statements made by Eliasi after he submitted his Likud application, in which the rapper said, "I am not doing this because I agree with the Likud's path; I am doing this to return the Likud to its path." Hanegbi added that "in light of what was said by the applicant himself, it is indisputable that Mr. Eliasi completely rejects the path of the Likud."

Warning that Eliasi's membership would "cause the Likud serious public damage," Hanegbi cited a similar situation in the past when Moshe Feiglin, head of the hard-line Manhigut Yehudit ("Jewish Leadership") faction, joined Likud, eventually becoming an MK.

"Mr. Feiglin signed up thousands of members to the party, and the vast majority of them, as was revealed again and again, voted for rival parties in the general elections," Hanegbi said. He stressed that the party should not allow this to happen again.

Eliasi responded to Hanegbi's letter on Facebook, writing, "It is scary to see in our midst the processes that took place in Europe in the '30s."

Earlier, Eliasi said he had no intention of vying for a slot on Likud's Knesset list.