Netanyahu and Katz Secure Approval for All Likud Primary Proposals Amid Tight Vote

After months of internal disputes, delays, and power struggles within the Likud party, members of the Likud Central Committee approved all three key proposals advanced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Likud Central Committee Chairman Minister Haim Katz. This paves the way for the party primaries scheduled for August 17. The first proposal, granting Netanyahu eight reserved slots on the party's Knesset list, passed decisively with 1,692 votes in favor and 925 against. The third proposal, which included the new primary regulations and changes to the district structure, also passed comfortably with 1,677 supporting votes versus 936 opposing.

The second proposal, allowing Knesset members and ministers to run in district slots, was the most contentious and passed by a razor-thin margin of just five votes after all ballots were counted in Jerusalem. This narrow victory reflects one of the closest decisions in recent Likud institutional history. The political battle behind the vote was intense, with Netanyahu and Katz arguing the changes would enable a stronger, more flexible, and attractive list for upcoming elections. Opposing them was MK David Bitan, who claimed the plan weakened grassroots activists and gave too much influence to Netanyahu and Katz.

The conflict extended beyond politics, with multiple postponements, legal petitions to the Likud court, and proposals to alter the candidate selection mechanism. The court ultimately ruled the primaries would proceed, and the committee convened to decide on the three proposals. Voting saw a high turnout of 72.82%, indicating the importance party members placed on the outcome. Netanyahu did not vote himself, as he was in Washington, but his allies campaigned vigorously.

Despite the victory, Likud officials anticipate further legal challenges from the opposition camp due to the narrow margin on the second proposal. If petitions are filed, the internal political struggle is expected to shift to the party's judicial arena. For now, Netanyahu and Katz have secured a significant win, shaping the rules for the upcoming primaries and the composition of the Likud list for the next Knesset.