MK Tali Gottlieb Criticizes Netanyahu Over Reserved Slots in Likud Primaries

MK Tali Gottlieb launched a sharp public critique against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday regarding his intention to reserve a slot for Minister Avi Dichter, who failed to secure a realistic position in the Likud primaries. Gottlieb addressed Netanyahu directly, expressing disappointment that despite granting him eight reserved slots to refresh the party list, Netanyahu planned to bypass the primary results by reserving a spot for Dichter alongside Haim Katz, who was exempted from the primaries.

Gottlieb emphasized that the reserved slots were meant to strengthen the party by bringing in new members, not to override the voters' decisions. She proposed that if Netanyahu insists on reserving a slot for someone who did not succeed in the primaries, he should cancel reserved slots intended for new candidates in the second tier and instead place those who won higher on the list, pushing the reserved slots for unsuccessful candidates to the third tier to maintain fairness.

Additionally, Gottlieb criticized the Likud leadership for insufficient female representation on the party list, urging Netanyahu to provide more opportunities for women MKs. She warned that neglecting this issue could fuel accusations from the left about the exclusion of women within Likud. This confrontation follows the recent Likud primaries and marks another public dispute between Gottlieb and Netanyahu over the use of reserved slots and the respect for party members' votes.