Netanyahu Meets Cancer Researcher Dr. Keren Asayag and Offers Likud List Spot

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Sunday with Dr. Keren Asayag, a breast cancer researcher, and offered her a reserved spot on the Likud party list for the upcoming Knesset elections. According to ynet, during their conversation, Asayag expressed reluctance to enter politics, but Netanyahu attempted to persuade her.

Dr. Asayag, niece of Meni and Shalom Asayag, recently claimed she faced exclusion in academia due to her public support for Netanyahu and the government, including a speech she gave at a rally backing the judicial reform. She stated, "It is our right to support a vital reform. We will not fear paying the price for our truth, because there is no heavier price than being silenced."

Last June, Asayag publicly thanked Netanyahu for his leadership amid internal and external attacks, saying, "Thank you for steering our ship through impossible circumstances. We are all with you here, even in Egged Bani."

Following the Likud primary results, Netanyahu is seeking to secure an additional female candidate on the party list, which currently includes only three women in the top 25 positions: Miri Regev (8th), Tali Gottlieb (20th), and Gila Gamliel (25th). Earlier this month, news anchor Netali Shem Tov was also considered for a spot; she met with former minister Gilad Erdan but declined his offer. Political sources indicated that unless last-minute changes occur, Shem Tov is expected to join the party of Ofer Winter, launching soon.