Itamar Ben-Gvir Urges Likud Members to Support Gila Gamliel and Mai Golan in Primaries

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir made an unusual move in the Likud party primaries by publicly endorsing two female candidates, Gila Gamliel and Mai Golan. On Monday, Ben-Gvir released a video urging Likud members to vote for Gamliel, praising her dedication and patriotism, saying, "I sit with her in the cabinet and know how deeply she cares about Israel." He also called on voters to support Mai Golan, emphasizing her courage and resilience amid ongoing smear campaigns and attempts to silence her.

The endorsements come as approximately 140,000 registered Likud members began voting across Israel to determine the party's candidate list for the upcoming Knesset elections. By mid-morning, over 14,000 members had already cast their ballots, surpassing turnout at the same point in the 2022 primaries. Jerusalem recorded the highest early voting numbers, with 564 members voting by 11:15 AM.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not released a comprehensive list of endorsements but has officially supported several candidates, including MK Almog Cohen and regional candidates Erez Tadmor and attorney Shlomo Lerner. Asnat Zohar also joined the race for the party's new female slot. Voting will continue until 9 PM, with preliminary results expected around 11 PM and official outcomes likely by Tuesday.

Ben-Gvir's public backing of Gamliel and Golan highlights internal party dynamics and the importance of the female representation slot in the Likud list. His support underscores the ongoing political battles within the party ahead of the national elections.