Bitan moves to block Likud primary cancellation and reject appointed committee

Likud MK David Bitan filed an urgent petition on Sunday morning to the party’s internal court, seeking to stop the cancellation of the primaries and the creation of an appointed “arrangements committee.” The petition argues that replacing the vote would amount to a “constitutional grab” that violates the rights of Likud members to choose and be elected, contrary to the party constitution and previous court rulings.

Bitan, who also serves as acting chairman of the Likud secretariat, said the change is being pushed only about a month before the scheduled primary date. He said cancelling the primaries would be a “trampling” of the constitutional rights of “tens of thousands” of party members, and would run counter to proper administration and transparency.

He warned that the move could cause “loss of trust” among Likud members and damage the movement’s public image ahead of elections. “You cannot change the rules of the game in the middle of the game,” Bitan said, adding, “I believe in Likud members and their right to decide, not in a appointed committee.”

In his request, Bitan also asked the court to rule that any proposed change to the party’s constitution brought before the party conference must be decided by secret ballot only. The petition was submitted amid what he described as the exceptionally close timing to the election cycle and concern that the internal process could suffer irreparable harm.