Likud Approves Controversial Nighttime Deal Reserving 10 List Spots for Senior Members

In a late-night session between August 31 and September 1, 2026, the Likud party's secretariat was asked to approve an unprecedented series of reserved spots at the top of the party's Knesset list. This deal secured guaranteed positions for key figures including Defense Minister Israel Katz, Likud Central Committee Chairman Haim Katz, and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. The arrangement followed a series of confidential agreements and an exceptional ruling by the party's internal court, which mandated reserving a spot for Israel Katz to allow him to focus on security matters rather than internal party politics.

The deal, reportedly finalized during a secret meeting amid heightened security tensions before a potential Israeli strike on Iran, was described by a source close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a concession made under pressure. Netanyahu was said to have been effectively coerced by Haim Katz and later by Israel Katz, both wielding significant influence within the party. The reserved spots for Sa'ar and Haim Katz are included within Netanyahu's total allocation of nine reserved slots, with an additional reserved spot granted to Michal Buskila, bringing the total to ten.

Despite initial plans to place Israel Katz within the top five, internal backlash has led to his likely placement lower in the list, possibly within the top ten but not in a realistically winnable position. The party emphasized that local district candidates would not be pushed further down the list. The decision was kept confidential and announced only after the naming of the economic reserved candidate Oren Dobronski, aiming to minimize media fallout.

Likud insiders expect the secretariat to approve the reserved spots immediately, as senior party members, wary of open primaries, demanded formal institutional approval before the primaries. This move significantly limits the chances for new candidates and current MKs to secure high-ranking positions on the list, consolidating power among Netanyahu and his close allies ahead of the 2026 elections.