Prime Minister Requests Special Placement for Defense Minister Amid Security Concerns

The Likud party court received a formal request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to grant Defense Minister Israel Katz a reserved spot on the party's election list without having to compete in the primary elections. The request, obtained by ynet, cites an exceptional security situation that Katz is fully occupied with, which cannot be detailed at this stage. It argues that Katz should be allowed to be placed anywhere on the list at the Prime Minister's discretion to enable him to focus on his defense duties without the distraction of a personal election campaign. The petition emphasizes that this arrangement would not reduce the number of elected candidates from the list and that Katz would secure a high position regardless. However, given the current security challenges, it is deemed unfair to require the Defense Minister to divide his time with electioneering.