Netanyahu Defends Reserved Slots for Sa'ar, Katz, and Haim Katz in Likud Primaries

The Likud party has officially responded to the Supreme Court of the party regarding petitions against the reserved slots for Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and party chairman Haim Katz. The response, submitted by Likud's legal advisor Ilan Bombach, states that the reserved slots were allocated within the legally approved quota and based solely on Prime Minister and party leader Benjamin Netanyahu's discretion. The party rejects claims of procedural flaws or conflicts of interest, emphasizing that the decisions were made for the benefit of the electoral list.

Regarding Defense Minister Israel Katz, Likud clarified that his exemption from the primaries followed a confidential request by Netanyahu, justified by "weighty reasons". The main rationale is to allow Katz to fully focus on critical security challenges without the distraction of an internal election campaign. The party also noted Katz was already positioned high on the list and was unaware of his reserved slot when the party regulations were approved.

For Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, the reserved slot is not a standard one but part of a political agreement between Likud and the State National Right faction, forming a joint list. The court recognized this as a common practice that does not warrant legal intervention.

In the case of Haim Katz, the party cited his extensive public and party experience, long-standing membership, leadership as party chairman, ministerial roles, and involvement in managing evacuee arrangements during the war. However, his reserved slot remains under legal scrutiny following an interim injunction freezing the vote on his slot due to a conflict of interest claim, as Katz was involved in creating the reserved slot mechanism. The court deemed the claims worthy of investigation and awaits responses from Katz and the party's legal advisor.

These legal developments come days before the Likud primaries, intensifying internal tensions. Criticism is rising from candidates and current Knesset members who argue that the numerous reserved slots at the top drastically reduce the number of realistic spots available for competitive election.