Likud's Constitution Committee approved Minister Haim Katz's proposal, granting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eight reserved slots on the party list, according to a report by Kastel. The committee also passed a measure authorizing the prime minister to adjust districts and reserved slots from positions 29 to 33 as needed.
Just before 17:30 Jerusalem, the Likud Constitution Committee approved Minister Haim Katz's proposal, granting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eight reserved slots on the party's Knesset list and authorizing the prime minister to adjust party districts and reserved slots from positions 29 to 33 as needed. The vote followed an earlier proposal at 17:32 Jerusalem that extended the national list to position 36 and included eight reserved slots, but the final approved version adds the new authorization for the prime minister to fine-tune the list composition.
The committee's decision caps a day of rapid developments. At 16:50 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that an emerging proposal would grant Netanyahu eight reserved slots with the national list extended to 36. An earlier version of Netanyahu's proposal, also reported at 16:50, had set primaries for August 17 and offered eight reserved slots up to position 31. The committee then considered several alternatives before settling on Katz's compromise, which was reported as approved at 17:36 Jerusalem.
The approval comes after weeks of internal Likud tensions over list composition. The Zioneer reported on June 23 that Netanyahu threatened to quit the party unless granted at least 10 reserved slots. Subsequent reports documented a walkout by MK David Bitan during a heated exchange with Netanyahu, and efforts by committee chairman Haim Katz to force a vote despite a boycott by some members. The Katz proposal, which emerged as a compromise between Netanyahu's demands and the ministers' alternative, appears to have secured the prime minister's support while offering a framework for district-based primaries.
The authorization for Netanyahu to adjust districts from 29 to 33 is a new element not present in earlier proposals, potentially giving him flexibility to place loyalists. However, the full details of possible district adjustments remain unspecified. The proposal now requires approval from the Likud Central Committee, which could introduce further changes. The exact timing of the central committee vote has not been announced.
5 developments
- StrongNetanyahu and Likud MK Bitan clash in Constitution Committee, Bitan storms out
- StrongLikud infighting intensifies over Netanyahu's demand for 10 reserved slots
- StrongLikud meeting: Katz insists only female MKs for districts, Netanyahu considers male MKs
- DevelopingNetanyahu threatens to quit Likud unless granted 10 reserved Knesset slots
Source and signal
- Internal intake