Likud MK Tali Gottlieb Claims Netanyahu's Circle Tried to Undermine Her in Primaries

With about 80% of the votes counted in the Likud primaries on August 18, 2026, Member of Knesset Tali Gottlieb secured a realistic spot on the party list for the upcoming Knesset elections. However, she launched a sharp critique against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's close advisers, accusing them of deliberately trying to weaken her during the voting process. Gottlieb stated that despite coordinated efforts and instructions not to support her, including no message of encouragement from Netanyahu himself, right-wing Likud voters strongly backed her.

Gottlieb warned against any shift in the party's political stance toward the center, referencing figures like Gadi Eisenkot and terms such as "left" and "unity," and vowed not to remain silent even if she faced restrictions on media appearances. She emphasized her commitment to the party's right-wing base and expressed gratitude to her supporters.

In the primaries' current standings, Eli Cohen leads overall, while former Culture Minister Miri Regev is set to become the highest-ranking woman in the party, holding fourth place with a significant lead of approximately 9,000 votes over Gottlieb, who rose from the third tier to the 12th spot. Other notable candidates in the top ranks include Amir Ohana, Yariv Levin, Ofir Katz, Yoav Kisch, and Miki Zohar. The second tier of the list features politicians such as Moshe Saada, Shlomo Karai, David Bitan, Boaz Bismuth, Nir Barkat, Zeev Elkin, Gila Gamliel, Amit Levi, and Avichai Boaron.