Likud Court Blocks Knesset Members From Running in District Primaries, David Bitan Reacts

David Bitan, a Likud Knesset member, responded this Tuesday morning to the Likud Supreme Court's ruling that overturned the party's decision allowing Knesset members and ministers to run in district primaries. Bitan, a leading opponent of the move, welcomed the court's decision and emphasized the importance of preserving the party's grassroots structure. "We fought for the party members, district candidates, branch heads, and conference members. I am glad about the decision," Bitan said, adding that the ruling ended a process they opposed in defense of Likud's democracy, which he contrasted with dictatorial parties.

The court ruled by a 4-1 majority that current and former Knesset members, ministers, and deputy ministers can only run on the national list, not in district races. The judges based their decision on significant procedural flaws during the party conference vote and noted the original decision conflicted with the Likud constitution and principles of candidate equality. The court also rejected challenges to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's vote validity, confirming it was properly documented and executed.

As a result, the reserved slots allocated to Netanyahu remain intact, and the deadline for submitting candidate lists has been extended by 48 hours. Bitan stressed that maintaining open competition is vital for the party's success on election day and expressed confidence that grassroots enthusiasm will help secure victory for the national camp under Netanyahu's leadership.

This ruling comes amid internal party drama and represents a significant victory for Bitan's faction within Likud, reinforcing the party's traditional nomination procedures and limiting the influence of sitting officials in district primaries.