Benjamin Netanyahu: Move may destroy Likud
Photo: Marc Israel Sellem
Netanyahu faces challenge over Likud power base
PM fights against initiative to take power to select future Likud MKs from all party members via primary; rookie MK Amsalem wants to hand exclusive power to Central Committee members, who he says 'won't vote against themselves.'
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to face a major internal test as leader of the Likud party on Sunday morning, when he was to ask the party's Central Committee to reject a move to give its 3,700 members absolute power to choose Likud MKs in future Knessets.
The vote was set to take place in 17 voting stations throughout Israel, and Central Committee members have the option of voting for one of three proposed options.
Netanyahu faces a challenge in Sunday's vote. (Photo: Motti Kimchi)
One, supported by Netanyahu, seeks a compromise between two opposing sides by maintaining the current system of primaries - in which all general Likud party members, some 100,000 people, vote for the Likud list of MKs. Likud district leaders however, would be elected by Central Committee members.
The second initiative seeks to create a new electoral system in which the decision on MKs would be limited to local party representatives and Likud Central Committee members. District leaders would be elected by Central Committee members and local party representatives from that district.
The third option, suggested by freshman MK David "Dudu" Amsalem, would put all of the Likud's power with Central Committee members who would vote for the party's Knesset list. Amsalem has recently been campaigning for his initiative, despite Netanyahu's claims that such a move could lead to the collapse of the Likud.
Dudu Amsalem wants to bring power back to Likud's central committee. (Photo: Atta Awisat)
"I survived all the land mines possible so that these elections would take place," said Amsalem. "I have no doubt that we'll win. I don't think the Central Committee members will vote against themselves and tie their own hands."
Amsalem told a group of Likud members on Saturday that, "We cannot avoid the fact that party members aren't just people looking for a political figure to connect to and not more cheering for Bibi or against Bibi for personal reasons. These are the same people who stood at the party's most critical time and the nation called 'Yes to Likud, no to labor' and 'no to disengagement (from Gaza).'"
Netanyahu has been working consistently over the last two weeks to insure a majority vote in favor of his plan to keep voting in the hands of party members and has seemingly gained the support of a majority of Likud MKs.
The prime minister said in an interview Saturday that if the majority who support his stance don't appear for the vote, the minority who stands in opposition will win.
