Netanyahu Faces Backlash in Likud Over Ministerial Slot Allocations Amid Alleged Blackmail

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the reserved slots for Likud ministers Israel Katz, Gideon Sa'ar, and Haim Katz overnight. On Tuesday morning, it was revealed that the Defense Minister and Foreign Minister would be placed in the top ten list, while the chairman of the Likud Central Committee would be assigned to the second ten. This decision sparked outrage within the party, as it guarantees Haim Katz's position after he initially helped approve the reserved slots at the party conference, and Israel Katz's spot, who heads the Likud secretariat responsible for approving these allocations.

A senior party official accused Israel Katz of leveraging his influence by threatening Netanyahu, stating, "Israel Katz realized he would be elected low and that the bizarre videos were not helping, so he decided to blackmail the Prime Minister to secure his reserved slot in exchange for approving the ministerial reservations." The controversy highlights internal tensions within Likud over the distribution of key ministerial positions ahead of upcoming elections and the party's candidate list approval process.