Likud Legal Advisor Warns Primary Elections Scheduled for August 17 Are at Risk

Ilan Bombach, the legal advisor for the Likud party, has urgently requested the district court to advance the hearing of a petition filed by MK Afif Abd to Sunday, August 9, seeking a same-day ruling. Bombach argued that any delay in resolving the legal dispute could severely disrupt preparations for the party's primary elections set for August 17. The petition challenges a ruling by the Likud's Supreme Court, which Bombach claims was issued without proper authority and interfered with the decisions of the Likud committee that approved changes to the primary election system.

Bombach warned that ongoing uncertainty about the validity of the court ruling risks turning into harmful chaos affecting candidates, nomination submissions, and the organizational, financial, and legal arrangements for the primaries. He emphasized that postponing the hearing endangers holding the primaries on schedule and may force the party to implement costly changes to the election format, potentially costing millions of shekels.

Despite the urgent request, the district court rejected the motion to advance the hearing, leaving the original schedule intact. Likud officials have expressed concern that continued uncertainty could complicate preparations for the upcoming primaries. Bombach's letter underscores the financial and operational risks posed by the unresolved legal dispute and calls for swift judicial clarity to ensure the primaries proceed smoothly.