Prime Minister Netanyahu is advancing a plan to replace Likud's internal primaries with an arranging committee that would select the party's Knesset slate, according to Amit Segal (N12). Netanyahu told Likud officials that the 12 million shekel cost of primaries effectively funds the campaigns of rival parties. The move requires a simple majority in the party's constitution committee, secretariat, and convention.
At 10:08 Jerusalem — Prime Minister Netanyahu is advancing a plan to replace Likud's internal primaries with an arranging committee that would select the party's Knesset slate, according to Amit Segal (N12). In a lengthy meeting yesterday, Netanyahu told Likud officials that the 12 million shekel cost of primaries effectively funds the campaigns of rival parties, and outlined the required approval process: a simple majority in the party's constitution committee, secretariat, and convention.
This is the latest step in a thread we have tracked since Jun 10, when multiple reports at 20:54 Jerusalem documented Netanyahu telling Likud local council heads he wanted to cancel primaries entirely. By that same time, he had also demanded ten reserved slots on any arranging committee (version 4), and Channel 14's Moti Kastel reported the primary date had been set for July 28 as the push for an arranging committee continued (version 2). A separate report we published at 21:28 Jerusalem that evening confirmed the broader direction. The source base has evolved from single-channel reports (Channel 14) to confirmation by Amit Segal (N12), lending greater weight to the account.
The move follows pressure from Likud local council heads to cancel the primaries, as The Zioneer reported on Jun 10 (21:28 Jerusalem), and comes amid wider coalition tensions over internal processes. The proposal has drawn opposition from some party members who view primaries as central to Likud's democratic character.
What remains open: The mechanics of the arranging committee — its exact composition, the identity of the mayors and public figures who would sit on it, and the timeline for approval — have not yet been detailed.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake