Likud lawmaker David Bitan launched a public attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, saying he will oppose any move to cancel the party’s primaries and replace them with a handpicked selection committee. Bitan, who chairs the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee, said he filed an official petition against the change with the movement’s internal court on Sunday.
In interviews with Kan Reshet Bet and 103FM, Bitan said Netanyahu wants a system that would let him appoint lawmakers himself. He called that “a very significant change” that goes against Likud’s democratic principle and warned, “You cannot change the system so dramatically a month before, when people have already prepared.” He added that the move would not fit Likud, and said the party needs unity or it will suffer.
Bitan also used a historical jab at Netanyahu, saying that when he came from the UN, he would not have entered Likud if a selection committee had existed because the party’s then-leaders, including Bnei Begin, Ronny Milo, Ehud Olmert and Dan Meridor, would not have wanted him. “Only thanks to democracy and the grass roots he entered Likud and became prime minister,” Bitan said. He said messages were sent suggesting his own seat would be guaranteed on such a committee, but he rejected that idea and predicted the Likud Central Committee would not approve Netanyahu’s request. He warned that the party’s “vitality” would fade two months before an election and said, “Within eight years, in my opinion, yes,” when asked whether Likud could disappear.
Bitan said he proposed a compromise in which Netanyahu could appoint three people who would strengthen the list, but claimed the prime minister has not succeeded with such entrenchments in the past. He also said that even with a selection committee, Netanyahu would still place MK Tally Gotliv on the list.
In the same interview round, Bitan commented on the US deal with Iran and the open dispute between President Donald Trump and Netanyahu, saying, “Trump is hurting Likud, that is completely clear.” He argued Israel would still have to act independently against Iran, saying, “Once every two years we will need to prevent further buildup with Iran, we will have no choice.”
He also defended Likud lawmakers who were filmed taking selfies behind the voting booth during the second round of the State Comptroller election, when they were said to be backing coalition candidate attorney Michael Ravilo. Bitan said they were not coerced and were simply asserting their right to take photos. He dismissed criticism of Ravilo’s past personal legal representation of Netanyahu, saying judges are not always disqualified for prior professional ties and that Ravilo was the only candidate who ran against Justice Yitzhak Amit. Bitan said if another candidate had entered, the coalition might have voted differently, but “that is no longer relevant.”
