The disgraceful events at the meeting of Habayit Hayehudi's central committee on Thursday reminded me of the Titanic passenger who was sitting on the deck, a glass of whiskey in his hand, and saying, "I asked for ice …"
At the end of the evening, one could say with certainty that the good ship Habayit Hayehudi was sinking, and the ones responsible are the members of the central committee, who balked at accepting the only framework that could save the party. They rejected a proposal to set up a council comprised of the best religious Zionist leaders, enabling the movement to find a leader following the departure of former Habayit Hayehudi head Naftali Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked.
With total blindness about the party's imminent collapse, the central committee members shouted at the stage and from it that the proposed council would take power and authority away from them. It appeared as if the rehabilitation, recovery, and preparation of the party to battle for its life in the upcoming election was of no interest to them. They wanted to maintain the aura of power that surrounds them as central committee members.
Usually, it is reasonable and even appropriate to present all the detailed arguments about the fear of losing a democratic mechanism and roar the word "dictator" over and over (to describe the threats to Israel from all sides as well as leftist mouthpieces.) But the interesting thing is that the vociferous defenders of democracy weren't demanding that the party hold immediate primaries open to all party members, as its constitution requires – they only wanted to hold onto their own power.
Eventually, 61% of the central committee voted in favor of establishing a council, 4% short of what was necessary to change the party's constitution. Most of the central committee members weren't even there; many of those who did bother to show up were openly declaring that they would move to Bennett and Shaked's new party, but nevertheless exercised their "democratic rights" and voted. By doing so, they provided a rope from which the group would hang itself. That might serve their own interests, but does nothing for religious Zionism.
The only option that remains is to hold party-wide primaries, in accordance with the party constitution, which has not been changed. But is it even conceivable that serious, qualified people will be willing to run in pointless primaries in a party that might not pass the minimum electoral threshold (3.25%) in the general election; and even if it does would be able to offer no more than two or three Knesset seats, at most? It's a fantasy.
In the current situation, "thanks" to the same selfish players who spurned any chance of a lifeboat; it's doubtful the party will be able to find a worthy, charismatic figure to represent religious Zionism, one who can give Bennett and Shaked's New Right a run for its money and unite the right-wing factions. Will we find a captain who can steer Habayit Hayehudi to safe shores, and avoid crashing into the iceberg of the minimum electoral threshold?
