Netanyahu Signals Possible Cancellation of Likud Primaries Amid Security Concerns

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated at a closed Likud meeting on Sunday that while he prefers to hold primaries, he is keeping the option of appointing a coordinating committee open in case of security developments. This follows the recent cancellation of a vote on the primary regulations, with senior Likud officials indicating that the party may indeed opt for a coordinating committee, effectively canceling the primaries. This move would allow the party to avoid dealing with a forgery scandal exposed by Channel 13.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu faces growing concerns about securing a majority for his private lawyer, Michael Regev, to become State Comptroller. Although the dissolution of the Knesset does not prevent the vote, dissatisfaction among coalition and Likud members could jeopardize the appointment, leading to a decision to postpone the vote to the next Knesset session.

On Thursday, a court issued a temporary injunction halting the Likud delegate elections related to the reserved spots Netanyahu requested, following a petition by the National Labor Federation's social forum citing procedural flaws. The Likud Constitution Committee had approved Netanyahu's proposal to grant him eight reserved spots on the party list for the Knesset, with the primaries now expected to be delayed until August 17.

Tensions surfaced during a Likud Constitution Committee meeting when MK David Bitan walked out after a heated exchange with Netanyahu. Bitan, initially a strong opponent of the plan to cancel primaries and transfer power to the party convention, later aligned with Netanyahu after weeks of negotiations, resulting in a compromise that combines primaries with an increased quota of reserved spots.

Channel 13 reported that Netanyahu privately expressed doubts about the current list's ability to secure governance and is deliberately delaying the process to limit the time available for full primaries. Additionally, some Likud MKs, including Eli Revivo and Osher Shkalim, were reportedly offered incentives to withdraw from the primaries in exchange for positions.