Political commentator Yaakov Bardugo said in an interview on Channel 14 Tuesday that Haim Katz's reserved slot in the Likud should be treated as a standard secretary-general arrangement. He argued that Defense Minister Israel Katz's slot is logical amid the current security period, expressing confidence Katz would have placed high in the primaries anyway. Bardugo added that ministers Zohar, Levin, and Karhi belong on the Likud list and are far superior to candidates from other parties.
Political commentator Yaakov Bardugo addressed the Likud's internal reserved slots controversy in an interview on Channel 14 Tuesday afternoon, offering justification for the contested arrangements. Bardugo stated that the reserved slot secured by Haim Katz, chairman of the Likud Central Committee, should be viewed as a standard secretary-general placement, comparable to how other party secretaries-general are accommodated in their parties' lists. Regarding Defense Minister Israel Katz, Bardugo argued that the security-sensitive period provides a rationale for his reserved slot, adding that he is confident Katz would have placed in the top tier of the primary vote regardless. Bardugo also addressed the impact on other Likud ministers — Miki Zohar, Yariv Levin, and Shlomo Karhi — stating that while internal disputes are legitimate, these three ministers should be on the Likud list and are far superior to candidates from opposing parties. The interview, conducted by Noy Bar and Tamir Shneid, aired during a period of heightened internal tension within Likud over Netanyahu's demand for reserved slots and the potential shape of the party's Knesset list.
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