Netanyahu Weighs Reserving a Likud Slot for Journalist Natali Shem Tov

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is recently weighing whether to reserve a place on Likud’s Knesset list for journalist Natali Shem Tov, according to a first report Thursday night by Shahar Glick on Kan News’s main broadcast. If it happens, the move would be a notable part of the party’s preparations for the next election.

The report says there are conflicting accounts around Netanyahu’s circle. Some sources claim the offer has already been conveyed to Shem Tov, but she has not given a final answer. Others say the idea has come up with Netanyahu, but it is still only in the initial review stage.

Shem Tov is a veteran journalist who previously worked for Channels 12 and 13. She was evacuated from her home in Metula because of the war in the north, and in recent months she has spoken sharply about the security situation on the northern border and the need for a military decision against Hezbollah.

Likud’s reasoning is said to be her strong identification with the north and its residents. Party officials believe she could help address growing disappointment among northern residents over the handling of regional security and strengthen Likud’s support in the area. During the war, Shem Tov also posted a reflective message admitting she had been wrong at the start of the campaign when she thought Israel should keep fighting Hezbollah rather than reach a ceasefire, writing, “More than ten years of preparations exploded in those ten unforgettable days,” referring to the pager operation and the killing of Hassan Nasrallah. Likud and Shem Tov did not comment, and more updates are expected.