Senior Likud lawmakers opposed to canceling the party’s primaries are accusing top ministers of driving the effort to scrap the internal elections out of fear for their own political future. Likud officials claim Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Defense Minister Israel Katz are behind the push to replace the vote with a controlled candidate-selection process, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu examines a compromise plan that would reshape the ruling party’s election slate.
According to Likud lawmakers who oppose canceling the primaries, the initiative is being promoted by senior party figures who fear losing their current standing if members are allowed to vote. They claim Levin, who finished first in the previous Likud primaries, is concerned he could lose his high placement, while Katz is worried about his position amid a sharp internal campaign against him by Likud lawmaker Tally Gotliv.
“Levin knows that the militant public among Likud voters blames him for failing to fully carry out the judicial overhaul, including MK Gotliv,” the lawmakers claimed. Likud sources also said Welfare Minister Haim Katz supports canceling the primaries in order to keep close ally MK Eti Atiya on the next party list, despite what they described as her very slim chances of being elected in a national primary, as well as Knesset Economic Affairs Committee chairman David Bitan.
The claims come as Netanyahu has recently been examining a possible agreed framework instead of the proposal promoted by Likud mayors to cancel the primaries altogether and establish a selection committee. Under the plan being considered, the national list would be extended to the 40th spot, with regional candidates competing only from that point onward. Reserved slots previously granted to a woman, a young candidate, an ultra-Orthodox candidate, a minority candidate and a new immigrant would be canceled. In their place, Netanyahu would receive nine reserved appointments, three in each of the first three groups of 10 candidates.
At the same time, Likud sources said Netanyahu’s advisers have begun negotiating with lawmakers and ministers over their possible positions on the list if primaries are not held. According to one account, figures acting on Netanyahu’s behalf contacted members of the faction and discussed possible placements.
The person who persuaded Netanyahu to consider canceling the primaries and forming a selection committee was Bat Yam Mayor Zvika Brot, who is expected to be appointed chairman of Likud’s election campaign and is considered one of the mayors closest to Netanyahu. Another supporter of the proposal, which has been promoted in recent days by Likud mayors, is Haim Bibas, chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel, who is also believed to be hoping for a reserved slot.
Netanyahu himself has said he is working to cancel the primaries through agreements and dialogue, arguing that “canceling the primaries will bring more incumbent lawmakers into the Knesset because all the districts will be canceled.”
Political sources recently said Netanyahu is no longer satisfied with lawmakers who know how to “survive primaries,” but is primarily interested in candidates who can draw public support and deliver results. They said he has also marked young voters as a key audience and will try to use reserved slots to appeal to them, as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has done in his own party.
Likud has previously canceled primaries for the party leadership after no candidate ran against Netanyahu. If the primaries for the Knesset list, currently scheduled for July, are also canceled, it would be the second time the party’s internal elections are called off. Last week, Likud internal auditor attorney Shay Galili issued a report arguing that Netanyahu’s demand to cancel the primaries is illegal.
The possibility that the primaries may be canceled continues to preoccupy party candidates and the Likud members who vote for the list. One Likud source suggested the primaries may ultimately cancel themselves if too much time passes to prepare for them.
“If Netanyahu really wants to cancel the primaries, he simply doesn’t have to do anything,” the source said. “They will just be canceled because there will no longer be time to prepare for them. That may be Netanyahu’s way of canceling the primaries without doing anything.”
Levin’s office denied the allegations, saying: “As usual, this is a complete lie.” A source close to Defense Minister Katz said: “The minister is not dealing with the issue at all and was not present at meetings that dealt with it. He is busy with matters of national security and will support any decision made by the prime minister.”
A Likud source added that Netanyahu is also interested in canceling the primaries for financial reasons, because such a vote costs the party millions of shekels at a time when it is already facing a major deficit.