Businessman Oren Dobronsky, whom Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently slotted into Likud's second ten, has announced he is giving up that spot, The Zioneer reports. The decision comes minutes after he said he would not take a Knesset seat and would instead serve as a minister.
Oren Dobronsky, the businessman and hi-tech entrepreneur, has completely abandoned his reserved slot in the Likud list, according to The Zioneer. The decision came just minutes after his earlier announcement early Tuesday morning that he would not serve as a member of Knesset but would instead become a minister. By around 00:50, Dobronsky confirmed he is giving up the slot entirely, leaving his political pathway unclear.
The rapid shift marks the latest in a sequence of developments this week. At 00:28 Tuesday, Dobronsky stated he had agreed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to serve as a minister without taking a Knesset seat. But within a quarter-hour, he walked back that arrangement, saying he would give up his reserved spot in the list altogether. The announcement follows a series of reports over the past month. On Tuesday, August 11, The Zioneer reported that Netanyahu had slotted Dobronsky into the second ten (slots 11–20) of the Likud list, based on a Channel 14 report. That same evening, N12's Yuval Sadeh reported that Dobronsky might face a heavy exit tax for renouncing his U.S. citizenship, raising questions about whether the financial burden would lead him to withdraw. A day earlier, on Monday, August 10, an informal poll on Channel 14's 'Patriots' program found 96% of viewers supportive of his slotting, as The Zioneer reported.
As The Zioneer reported on August 11, the possibility that Dobronsky would be appointed directly as a minister — bypassing the Knesset entirely — was already hinted at. His latest move appears to align with that possibility, though the exact ministerial portfolio has not been disclosed.
It remains unresolved whether Dobronsky will indeed receive a ministerial appointment or what role that would be. The exit tax issue and his sudden withdrawal from the Likud list leave open questions about the scope of his eventual involvement in the government.
5 developments
- StrongNetanyahu slots Oren Dobronsky into Likud's second ten
- StrongLiberman associates say unaware of Dobronsky's Likud slot; report reveals father's Yisrael Beiteinu role
- StrongLikud Reveals Reserved Slot Positions: Avivi at 35, Medan at 15, Goldschmidt at 26
- DevelopingNetanyahu publishes Likud reserved slot list including wounded Gaza reservist Eliyahu Medan, attorney David Peter
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