Netanyahu Backs Reservist in Key Tel Aviv-Likud Primary Battle Against Bitan-Backed Haredi Candidate

The Likud party is holding its primary elections today, with the Tel Aviv district emerging as the focal point of a fierce contest that could shape the party's candidate list for the 26th Knesset. The race pits two very different candidates against each other: Attorney Shlomo Lerner, a reservist who served over 400 days in Gaza during the war, and Elishiv Rabin, a Haredi candidate supported by Knesset member David Bitan.

This internal struggle reflects a broader tension within Likud between the organized Haredi faction seeking to increase its political influence from within and the reservist community representing a more secular and military-oriented constituency. The Haredi faction's growing presence has raised concerns in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office about potential shifts in the party's character.

The conflict escalated when Netanyahu publicly endorsed Lerner in a rare intervention, urging voters to support his personal candidate in the district. This move appears aimed at ensuring representation for reservists over the Haredi-backed Rabin, who benefits from Bitan's backing and about 1,000 recently registered voters in the district. Lerner enjoys support among "free voters" who see him as an authentic representative of the current era and military service.

The outcome of today's vote will not only determine the next Knesset member from Tel Aviv but may also signal the future direction and identity of the entire Likud list for upcoming elections and years ahead.