Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved shortening the cooling-off period for Likud members Almog Cohen and Ze'ev Elkin, allowing them to stand in the party's upcoming primary, according to a report.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has officially approved shortening the cooling-off period for Likud members Almog Cohen and Ze'ev Elkin, a step that enables them to stand in the party's upcoming primary, a report said Tuesday afternoon. The approval — which covers Cohen, a former MK, and Elkin, a current minister — allows them to bypass the standard waiting period required for candidates seeking to re-enter the party list.
The development follows two reports published earlier Tuesday at 12:48 Jerusalem time. The first, citing political journalist Michael Shemesh, said Netanyahu was seeking to shorten the cooling-off period for Cohen in what would clear a path to a reserved slot. Minutes later, The Zioneer reported that Netanyahu was expected to back Cohen's candidacy in the primary. The latest report now confirms that the shortening has been formally approved and has been expanded to include Elkin as well.
The move comes amid intensive internal Likud maneuvering ahead of the primary. The Zioneer has reported on other recent deals and arrangements within the party. Earlier Tuesday, a source in Netanyahu's environment told a subscribed outlet that Netanyahu and Minister Israel Katz reached a secret one-on-one agreement during peak security tensions about a month ago, reserving Katz a spot in the top five of the Likud list. The Zioneer also reported on Jul 13 that Netanyahu had reserved one of eight political slots for Likud chairman Haim Katz.
It remains unclear whether the approved shortening will face any formal party challenges before implementation, or whether additional candidates may also receive similar accommodations as the primary campaign continues.
3 developments
- StrongNetanyahu and Almog Cohen release joint campaign video
- DevelopingMinister Eli Cohen expects Netanyahu to receive 6-7 'reserved' Knesset seats in Likud primary
- DevelopingNetanyahu holds joint meeting with four Likud MKs ahead of election campaign
- DevelopingNetanyahu to receive 8 reserved slots on Likud list, MK Buaron says
Source and signal
- Open-source intake