Likud Holds Meeting Over Primary Voting Irregularities and Contested Ballot in Be'er Ya'akov

Following the conclusion of the Likud party primaries, allegations of voting irregularities remain under scrutiny. On Tuesday, the party's election committee convened to address concerns, focusing on typing errors that could affect candidate rankings and a particularly controversial ballot box in Be'er Ya'akov. Official data shows this ballot box's results diverge significantly from others nationwide. For instance, MK Shason Gueta, who did not secure a spot on the list, received 487 votes there, the highest among MKs, while Minister Dudi Amsalem, generally popular, got only 21 votes. Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz, ranked fifth on the list, received just 17 votes in that ballot, matching relatively lesser-known MK Shalom Danino's count.

Behind the scenes, intense efforts are underway to secure every vote. MK Eti Atiya, supported by Minister Haim Katz, is contesting the reserved women's slot at 25th place against Gila Gamliel and is actively seeking votes in ballots with identified errors. Current counts show Atiya surpassing MKs Amit Halevi and Avichai Boaron in ranking. In recent days, several MKs and ministers have gathered at the Likud headquarters in Tel Aviv to verify vote accuracy, uncovering multiple typing mistakes and suggesting the final results may still change.

Amid this turmoil, it was revealed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Dr. Keren Asayag, a breast cancer researcher, offering her a reserved spot on the Likud list. Asayag expressed reluctance to enter politics, but Netanyahu reportedly tried to persuade her. Following the primaries, Netanyahu is seeking to reserve an additional women's slot, as only three women currently appear in the top 25 positions: Miri Regev (8th), Tali Gottlieb (20th), and Gila Gamliel (25th).