Likud announced Tuesday the addition of two new reserved-slot candidates: Brig. Gen. (res.) Amir Avivi, founder of the Securityists movement, and former Labor Party MK Eli Goldschmidt, who has shifted rightward in recent years and now supports Prime Minister Netanyahu. Avivi previously served as deputy commander of the Gaza Division and head of the chief of staff's office.
Likud officially added two reserved-list candidates on Tuesday, confirming an earlier report by The Zioneer that Brig. Gen. (res.) Amir Avivi would receive a slot, and additionally announcing former Labor MK Eli Goldschmidt as a new reserved candidate. This extends a process that began earlier in the day when Prime Minister Netanyahu designated Avivi as a reserved slot alongside wounded reservist Elisha Medan, as first reported at 08:50 Jerusalem.
The earlier report (Tue 08:50 Jerusalem) cited i24NEWS in stating that Netanyahu had reserved the first slot for Medan and designated Avivi as a new reserved candidate, following businessman Oren Dobronsky's withdrawal. The Zioneer had previously reported on Jul 14 that Netanyahu was considering reserving slots for Avivi and four others, and on Aug 6 that Avivi and Prof. Moshe Cohen Eliya were planning a new right-wing party before Avivi's move to Likud.
Eli Goldschmidt, a former Labor Party faction chair who has shifted rightward in recent years and now supports Prime Minister Netanyahu, joins Likud as a reserved candidate. The Zioneer's topic profile notes he emerged as a vocal advocate for national unity during security crises. His addition represents a notable crossover from the center-left to the Likud list.
The reserved slots position Avivi and Goldschmidt on the Likud list for the next Knesset elections, though exact placement within the list remains unspecified. The official confirmation resolves earlier speculation about Avivi's candidacy route, which had included the possibility of a separate party formation.
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