Likud Rift Grows Over Netanyahu’s Reservation Plan as Court Clears Party Meeting

Likud is bracing for a heated internal primary fight after MK Tally Gotliv dismissed reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering reserving spots on the party list for former minister Moshe Kahlon, former foreign minister Gideon Saar, and local-government chief Haim Bibas. In a post, Gotliv wrote that Netanyahu is “really, really” not considering reserving Kahlon or Bibas, calling the stories “crazy spin” meant to stir conflict among right-wing activists.

The backlash came after reports that Netanyahu was weighing reserved slots in Likud’s top tier, including the first 10 places, as part of a broader demand to reserve 10 spots in the party list. The political backdrop is an intensifying debate over the shape of Likud’s slate ahead of the next Knesset election.

A political survey circulated to party insiders showed strong support for Netanyahu’s proposal. According to the poll, 65% of Likud members said they would back reserving 10 candidates if the idea came to a vote, 22% opposed it, and 13% were undecided. In a wider question comparing reserved slots with fully open primaries, 50% preferred reservations, 32% backed open primaries, and 18% had no opinion. The poll also found that 55% said opposition to reservations would weaken their support for a lawmaker, while 16% said it would strengthen support, 24% said it would not matter, and 5% were undecided.

The dispute centers on a larger fight inside Likud over the rules and structure of the primaries, including the formation of the arranging committee. The party’s Central Committee is set to meet on Thursday to discuss the issue, with decisions that could shape the future list for the next election.

Meanwhile, the Jerusalem District Court rejected a request by eight Likud members to block the convening of the party conference and lifted a temporary injunction issued last week. Judge Tamar Bar-Asher ruled the conference may proceed so the primaries’ rules can be approved and preparations for the internal election completed, despite claims of irregularities in the 2025 Likud conference elections.