Legal Advisor Warns Likud Primaries at Risk of Cancellation Over District Clause Dispute

The Likud party's legal advisor, Attorney Ilan Bombach, has warned that the upcoming party primaries scheduled for August 17, 2026, may be canceled due to unresolved legal challenges. Bombach filed a petition with the Tel Aviv District Court requesting to advance the hearing on the controversial "district clause," which prohibits ministers and deputy ministers from running in district primaries. He argued that delaying the hearing endangers the primaries and could cause costly disruptions to the party's preparations.

The petition challenges the Likud party's internal court decision that restricts serving ministers and deputy ministers from contesting district seats, a move that has sparked significant controversy within the party. This ruling reduces the number of realistic spots available on the party list for current Knesset members and ministers. Bombach requested the court to hold the hearing on August 9, 2026, and issue a ruling the same day, but the court rejected this request, confirming the hearing will proceed as originally scheduled on Monday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu currently holds eight reserved slots on the Likud list, positioned at numbers 5, 9, 11, 15, 18, 23, 26, and 29. According to recent polls, two of these reserved slots (26 and 29) are unlikely to secure Knesset seats, while six others are expected to enter the Knesset, potentially displacing some incumbent lawmakers. This leaves 16 competitive spots on the list for other candidates.

The Likud Central Committee recently approved Netanyahu and Haim Katz's proposal to grant the prime minister eight reserved slots and to amend the primary election rules. However, Katz's initiative to allow ministers and sitting Knesset members to run in district primaries passed by a narrow margin, prompting multiple petitions alleging irregularities, fraud, and the removal of election observers.

MK David Bitan, one of the petitioners, praised the Likud court's decision, emphasizing the fight for party democracy and the importance of allowing broad candidate participation. He stated, "We fought for the members, district candidates, branch heads, and conference members. The enthusiasm from the grassroots will bring us victory."