Prime Minister Netanyahu told the Likud Constitution Committee that while he supports primaries, an exceptional security situation could make gatherings difficult and potentially force the vote to coincide with election day or occur before it, complicating participation. The statement follows his earlier warning that the security situation could force cancellation of the primaries.
Prime Minister Netanyahu elaborated on his earlier warning about the impact of the security situation on Likud primaries during a meeting with the party's Constitution Committee on Sunday evening. According to a report, Netanyahu said he remains in favor of holding primaries but cautioned that an exceptional security situation could interfere with party gatherings. "It could fall on election day or before and it will make voting difficult," he said, adding specificity to his earlier remarks about possible cancellation.
The new comments follow a series of statements by Netanyahu on Sunday. At 15:44 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Netanyahu told Likud-affiliated mayors that if the security situation requires, the primaries may be canceled and an arranging committee with five mayors would determine the party list, while he seeks eight reserved slots in the top 20. At 17:03 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Netanyahu said the security situation could force cancellation of the primaries. The latest remarks from the Constitution Committee meeting suggest that rather than outright cancellation, the primaries could be moved to coincide with the general election or take place earlier, adding complexity to internal party planning.
The Zioneer has previously reported on ongoing internal Likud negotiations over the composition of the party list, including Netanyahu's demands for reserved slots and threats to leave the party if demands are not met (reported on June 23, 2026). The security situation has been cited as a factor in delaying internal votes.
While the precise timing of the primaries remains uncertain, no decision has been made by the Likud Constitution Committee. The security assessments that could affect the schedule are still ongoing.
6 developments
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- DevelopingNetanyahu threatens to quit Likud unless granted 10 reserved Knesset slots
- DevelopingLikud Minister Regev: Netanyahu's demands to party will be heard, primaries to be held
- DevelopingSenior Likud figure says Netanyahu 'serious' about arranging committee, will decide in days
Source and signal
- Internal intake