Minister Gila Gamliel Accuses Likud Chairman Haim Katz of Election Fraud in Party Primaries

Israeli Minister Gila Gamliel publicly accused Haim Katz, chairman of the Likud party center, of orchestrating corrupt election fraud during the party's recent primaries. Speaking in a Channel 14 interview on Thursday, Gamliel detailed allegations of vote tampering, including suspected ballot falsifications in the town of Be'er Ya'akov, deletion of official protocols, and mysterious addition of votes for MK Eti Atiya. She described a climate of fear among party staff at the Likud headquarters, stating, "I saw fear in the eyes of the employees." Gamliel said Katz had pressured the party and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for months to secure Atiya's entry into the Knesset by any means.

Gamliel's husband filed a police complaint regarding the suspected vote rigging. She emphasized that she would not relinquish her position and vowed to prevent any vote theft within the Likud, calling the scandal a "shameful farce." She accused Katz of acting in a "very corrupt and forceful manner" and criticized MK Eti Atiya as an anonymous figure who rarely gives interviews but served as Katz's chief of staff during the vote manipulation.

The controversy prompted the Likud party to recount votes in Be'er Ya'akov. Gamliel expressed hope that exposing the truth would improve her standing on the party list and reduce reserved spots for others. She insisted that the Likud is a democratic movement, not a "defense industry" or labor union, and condemned Katz's attempts to control it. The police investigation and internal party disputes continue amid growing tensions within Likud ahead of upcoming elections.