Gottlieb Threatens Party Switch Amid Likud List Dispute

Member of Knesset (MK) Tali Gottlieb has publicly expressed her dissatisfaction with her placement on the Likud party's Knesset list, suggesting she might consider moving to another party if offered a "realistic" ministerial position. Gottlieb stated that despite her strong support from Likud activists, she was pushed down the list to the 20th spot due to reserved slots, a move she attributes to alleged attempts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's inner circle to sideline her.

Gottlieb, a vocal critic of the judiciary, asserted her unwavering loyalty to Netanyahu and the right-wing government, emphasizing her past efforts to defend them. However, she declared she would not tolerate being "run over" politically and accused Netanyahu's advisors of orchestrating a "targeted elimination" against her in the Likud primaries. She claimed that despite these efforts, she secured a significant number of votes from right-wing Likud members, placing 12th in the primaries before the reserved slots altered her position.

Furthermore, Gottlieb revealed that Netanyahu chose not to include her in the Likud campaign, a decision she respects but finds disappointing. She also criticized campaign staff for allegedly avoiding the issue of restraining the power of the Supreme Court and for continuing to brief against her. Gottlieb reiterated that her primary motivation for entering the Knesset was to advance right-wing governance and curb what she perceives as the Supreme Court's "irresponsible conduct."

While acknowledging Netanyahu's prerogative to decide on ministerial appointments, Gottlieb indicated that she had been informed she would not be appointed Justice Minister or head of the Constitution Committee. She stated that if she received a "realistic offer from a party that would respect my electoral strength and my clear ability to be a minister in an important role," she would seriously consider it on behalf of her voters. As of now, however, no concrete offer has been made.