Likud officially announced Tuesday that Yisrael Bardugo will be reserved in the 11th slot on the party's Knesset list, according to a ynet report. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concurrently published his list of 10 reserved candidates, which includes Bardugo, ministers Israel Katz and Gideon Sa'ar, wounded reservist Eliyahu Medan, and attorney David Peter.
Likud officially confirmed late Tuesday afternoon that Yisrael Bardugo will receive the 11th reserved slot on the party's Knesset list, capping a day of rapid developments around the party's candidate lineup. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concurrently published his full list of 10 reserved candidates, which includes Bardugo alongside ministers Israel Katz and Gideon Sa'ar, wounded Gaza reservist Eliyahu Medan, and attorney David Peter. The 11th slot places Bardugo within the realistic range for Knesset entry given the party's projected seat count.
The official confirmation follows a sequence of reports throughout the day. At 12:55 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Yaakov (Yisrael) Bardugo was expected to receive a reserved slot. Shortly after, N12 journalist Dafna Liel reported that Netanyahu and Sa'ar had reached an agreement on the slot, though the appointment was not finalized due to additional demands from Bardugo. The Zioneer then reported that the slot was secured at the 11th position, but without official party confirmation. The Likud's formal announcement today removes the remaining uncertainty.
The reserved slot system has been a source of internal friction within Likud. As The Zioneer reported on June 22, Netanyahu's demand for 8 to 10 reserved slots sparked backlash from senior party figures who argued the mechanism would dilute the democratic primary process. On July 14, MK Avichai Buaron stated Netanyahu would receive eight reserved slots. The final arrangement of 10 reserved slots reflects the prime minister's push to ensure loyal allies are placed in realistic positions. The list also includes figures such as Eliyahu Medan, a reservist seriously wounded in Gaza, and attorney David Peter, as The Zioneer reported earlier on Tuesday.
It remains unclear whether all of Bardugo's earlier demands that delayed the finalization have been fully resolved. The Likud party did not elaborate on the internal process that led to the confirmation.
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