Moshe Feiglin | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Feiglin in 2014 | |
| Faction represented in the Knesset | |
| 2013–2015 | Likud (Manhigut Yehudit) |
| 2015 | Zehut |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 July 1962 Haifa, Israel |
Moshe Zalman Feiglin (Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה זַלְמָן פֶייגְּלִין; born 31 July 1962) is a far-right[1][2][3] Israeli politician and activist, and the leader of libertarian Zionist party Zehut. As a member of Likud, he headed the Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) faction within the party, and represented Likud in the Knesset between 2013 and 2015.
Prior to becoming a Knesset member, Feiglin co-founded the Zo Artzeinu ("This is our Land") movement with Shmuel Sackett in 1993 to protest the Oslo Accords. On 8 August 1995, eighty intersections throughout the country were blocked in a massive act of non-violent civil disobedience against the Oslo process. As a result of his activities, Feiglin was sentenced to six months in prison in 1997 for sedition against the state by Israel's Supreme Court. The sentence was later commuted to community service.[1] In November 1996, Feiglin established the Manhigut Yehudit movement; it joined Likud in 2000, with Feiglin declaring that he would be a candidate for chairmanship of the party as a springboard for premiership of the State of Israel.
In early January 2015, Feiglin announced that he was leaving the Likud and forming his own party, after the Likud primaries the previous month.
Feiglin complained about efforts that were done to try to keep him out of Israel's parliament, the Knesset. He referred to alleged political corruption in the Likud primary and legal maneuvers Benjamin Netanyahu took in the past to move him down the party’s list, accusing the prime minister of trying to assassinate him politically.[4]
As a result of the above issues and timing, Feiglin did not form a new party for the Knesset elections in March, and instead decided to take his time to build a strong new party ("If we have to give up on the coming Knesset to build ourselves well and fundamentally, we will do so. We will take the time that we need to build ourselves in the proper and most exacting way.").[4][5] In July 2021, Feiglin returned to the Likud.[6] In January 2024, Feiglin left Likud and reestablished Zehut.[7]
Feiglin's party Zehut is in favor of legalizing marijuana.[8]
- ^ a b "AFP: Anti-Arab hopeful irks Israel's Netanyahu". December 15, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-12-15.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:3was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b "Moshe Feiglin announces departure from Likud - Israel Elections - Jerusalem Post". www.jpost.com. 5 January 2015. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
- ^ Ezra, Hezki (5 January 2015). "Moshe Feiglin Leaves Likud, Forms New Party". Israel National News. Arutz Sheva 7. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
- ^ "Former Zehut Party head Moshe Feiglin announces return to Likud". www.jpost.com. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
- ^ Canaan Lidor (20 April 2024). "Feiglin urges resettling Gaza, says his far-right party will aim to replace Netanyahu". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
- ^ Kershner, Isabel (2019-04-05). "A Pro-Pot Candidate Could Prove Decisive in Israeli Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-07.