Netanyahu Expresses Strong Satisfaction With Likud Primary Results, Plans to Strengthen List

Prime Minister and Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu responded positively to the party's primary election results announced on Tuesday. He expressed great satisfaction with the chosen list and thanked party members for voting based on "common sense and not deals." Likud officials stated that Netanyahu is "very pleased" with the outcomes, which introduce changes at the party's top ranks and bring new figures into prominent positions. The party described the new Likud list as reflecting renewal and the integration of fresh forces at the leadership level.

In addition to the candidates elected through the primaries, Netanyahu is expected to appoint additional candidates through reserved slots available to him. Likud emphasized that the prime minister intends to use these reserved places to strengthen the list ahead of the upcoming elections. The party framed the election campaign as a battle between Likud and the possibility of forming an alternative government, warning that this is the only way to prevent a left-wing government involving figures like Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Golan, Avigdor Lieberman, and the Arab parties.

Netanyahu also addressed the issue of deals and recommended lists circulated among organized groups during the primaries, thanking voters for choosing wisely rather than following such arrangements. He acknowledged those ministers and Knesset members who failed to secure a spot on the list, expressing appreciation for their contributions and intention to involve them in efforts to ensure Likud's victory. The party expects that the candidates Netanyahu will select through reserved slots will further strengthen the team for the elections.