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Likud leadership loses touch with base as it panders to ultra-Orthodox, far right

A poll on progressive Judaism indicates that most Likud supporters follow a more moderate line than the radical one espoused by the party leadership in an effort to court the far right.
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Culture Minister Miri Regev informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu June 28 that she was quitting her position as chair of a ministerial committee for the holy places. Needing a replacement, Netanyahu raised the issue at the Likud ministers’ weekly meeting on July 1 and was hardly surprised by the thunderous silence as no one volunteered to head the committee in Regev’s stead.

As chair of the committee, it was up to Regev to put together the compromise that would set aside a part of the Western Wall complex for men and women to pray together. Regev explained that her conscience prevented her from doing so. Hard pressed to find a volunteer, Netanyahu first took the position for himself until he was able to convince Minister Yuval Steinitz to accept the task.

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