Senior Likud figures told Yedioth Ahronoth that Prime Minister Netanyahu is deliberately creating chaos to prevent the party from organizing primaries, aiming to secure an 'arranging committee' that would give him control over the list. They detailed his demand for 10 reserved slots: five in the top ten, three in the second ten, and two in the third ten, according to the report.
Senior Likud officials have told Yedioth Ahronoth that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is deliberately creating chaos within the party to prevent the holding of primaries, aiming to force an 'arranging committee' that would give him control of the Knesset list. According to the report, the officials detailed Netanyahu's specific demand for 10 reserved slots: five in the top ten positions (including the first slot, and numbers 2, 4, 6, 8), three in the second ten (11, 15, 18), and two in the third ten (22, 29). The demand is described as unprecedented and would effectively bypass the primary process.
The Zioneer has extensively covered the ongoing Likud power struggle over the past several weeks. On June 22, the desk reported that Likud infighting intensified over Netanyahu's demand for 10 reserved slots. The following day, Netanyahu threatened to quit the party unless his demand was met. On July 1, a compromise proposal would have integrated rebel MKs into the list while reserving slots up to #25 for Netanyahu loyalists, but no agreement was reached.
The latest report, attributed to anonymous senior party figures, marks a sharp escalation in rhetoric, accusing the prime minister of deliberately undermining party democracy. The report is based on a single source and has not been independently corroborated.
3 developments
- DevelopingLikud members pressuring Netanyahu to reduce reserved slots, report says
- DevelopingPMO pressure yields results: Likud MKs, ministers post support videos for reserved slots proposal
- StrongNetanyahu demands 11 ministerial portfolios in top 40 Knesset slots
- DevelopingLikud ministers assist Netanyahu's election campaign
Source and signal
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