The Likud constitutional committee is slated to convene to approve a series of steps designed to keep the "new Likud" contingent from rising to power in the party, Israel Hayom has learned. The Likud defines the "new Likud" members as a group with views that don't align with the Likud platform that exploited the party's democratic process -- holding party-wide primary elections -- to worm their way into the party ranks. Fearing that the new contingent will grow and gain influence, the directorship of the Likud party has decided on a number of steps to limit the new members from amassing influence. The first step has already been put into action. Party Director General Gadi Arielli has ordered the cessation of online party membership registration. All "new Likud" members, assessed to number some 2,000, registered online rather than filling out forms. Next, the Likud plans to implement a series of changes to its party constitution, including a prolonged period of mandatory membership before being allowed to vote for the party's Knesset list. Currently, the "waiting period" is 16 months. If the change is approved, it is likely to be extended long enough to make new members eligible to vote only for the list for the 22nd Knesset, sometime around 2023. Meanwhile, the party plans to pass a rule stating that membership must be renewed annually for a fee. Members who fail to do so will lose their voting eligibility. Likud also plans to file a petition with the party's internal court seeking to expel between four and six members of the "new Likud" wing who have spoken out against the party, which violates the party constitution and is grounds for revocation of party membership. In addition, several dozen "new Likud" activists are expected to be summoned for hearings in front of the party's directorship, which plans to make it clear to the activists that registering as a party member includes a declaration of support for the party's goals and is binding, and that working against the Likud violates the party constitution. Likud isn't keeping the fight within its own ranks. The party plans to submit a Knesset bill that would require every political party to conduct periodic checks to ensure that none of its members are registered as members of more than one party. It is currently illegal to be a registered member of more than one party, but no political entity is required to conduct the requisite comparison of party lists to weed out individuals with multiple memberships. In the past few days alone, the Likud checked its membership list and discovered that over 1,000 of its members are also registered members of the left-wing Labor and/or Meretz parties. Attorney Avi Halevy, legal adviser to Likud, said, "When a citizen joins a party with whose goals he or she identifies, votes in its internal elections to select its Knesset candidates and votes for it the general election, that's democracy. But when a citizen joins a party with whose goals he or she does not identify, votes for its Knesset candidates, and then votes for another party in the general election, that's criminal tampering, the results of which could pervert the will of the people." "We aren't a party of suckers, and Likud will use every legal means at its disposal to defend itself against any attempt to seize control," Halevy added.
Likud seeks to keep new members from changing party from within
In response to perceived anti-Likud activity by "new Likud" group, Likud seeks to end online party registration, lengthen mandatory waiting period before new members can vote for Knesset list, and call in dozens of "new Likud" members for hearings.
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