Netanyahu Defies Likud Ultimatum on Candidate List

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defied an ultimatum set by the Likud party's internal court, failing to submit his proposed list of reserved candidates by the 9:00 PM deadline on Monday. The Likud court had ordered Netanyahu, who also chairs the party, to publish his list of "shielded" candidates for the upcoming Knesset slate.

Following Netanyahu's refusal, the party's secretariat may now hold a secret ballot on the reserved spots, allowing each candidate to be individually rejected. The court had previously warned that publishing the names shortly before a vote could be seen as an "unseemly snatch." While acknowledging political constraints might justify a shorter notice period than the usual 48 hours, the court stressed the need for swift submission to secretariat members.

Reports indicate Netanyahu has not finalized all the reserved candidate selections. Among those already announced are Oren Dubronsky, Gideon Sa'ar, Haim Katz, and Yisrael Katz. MK Miki Zohar is also expected to receive a reserved spot as part of an agreement with the New Hope party. Other potential candidates being considered include attorney David Peter and Professor Keren Assaig.

Within Likud, there is speculation that Netanyahu intentionally delayed the decision until the last minute. However, he is also facing pressure from ministers and family members to select candidates strongly aligned with the right-wing ideology. The final list of candidates is expected to be released on Tuesday, the deadline for submitting party slates.