Likud Court Gives Netanyahu Ultimatum on Knesset List Candidates

The Likud party's internal court issued an ultimatum to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, demanding he submit his candidate nominations for reserved spots on the party's Knesset list within two hours. The court warned that failure to comply could lead to a secret ballot vote on the nominations.

Netanyahu has not yet finalized all his reserved candidate choices, despite the deadline for submitting the party's electoral list to the Central Elections Committee being Tuesday at 10:00 PM. The court expressed concern that releasing the proposed list so close to the vote could be perceived as an "unseemly maneuver."

The court acknowledged that "extreme political constraints" might justify deviations from standard timelines, but stated that since other parties have already submitted their lists, the Likud's reserved spots should be announced promptly. "The 48-hour period is intended to allow secretariat members to reconsider the matter, and even demand a secret ballot if they deem it justified," wrote court member Adv. Yitzchak Bam. "Publishing a proposed decision shortly before the vote convenes could be interpreted as an unseemly maneuver."

If a formal proposal is not submitted by 9:00 PM, the party's legal advisor will explain why it should not be considered an implicit agreement for a secret ballot vote in the secretariat, bypassing the need for 10% of members' signatures. Earlier reports indicated that Netanyahu's reserved spots might be pushed to lower positions on the list due to pressure from senior party members. The secretariat meeting to approve these spots was postponed to Tuesday at 11:00 AM.

Netanyahu was initially allocated 10 reserved spots, with four intended for the top ten positions. He secured the third and ninth spots, and also reserved places for ministers Israel Katz and Gideon Saar at fourth and fifth. So far, only one new name, Oren Dobronsky, has been announced for the eleventh spot. Ministers Nir Barkat and Gila Gamliel are set to remain in their positions at 24th and 25th, considered marginal given recent polls suggesting the Likud might win only 23 seats. Netanyahu is reportedly still seeking suitable candidates, having recently had Beer Sheva Mayor Rubik Danilovich decline a significant offer to be placed third, serve as a senior minister, and deputy prime minister.