Minister Gamliel Accuses Minister Katz of Corrupt Attempt to Manipulate Likud Primaries

Minister Gila Gamliel sharply criticized Minister Haim Katz on Wednesday, accusing him of trying to secure a spot on the Likud party list for his close associate Eti Atiya at her expense. Speaking on the Kan News program "At Half Day," Gamliel called for an investigation into what she described as corruption surrounding the recent Likud primaries, particularly after a decision was made to recount votes at a polling station in Be'er Ya'akov. This recount could push Gamliel down to an unrealistic position on the party list.

Gamliel alleged that the vote recount process was suspicious and corrupt, questioning how the election committee, which initially managed and counted the votes, could suddenly produce different results. She claimed that before the recount, 170 votes were inexplicably added to Atiya’s tally to surpass Boaz Aharon, raising concerns about ballot tampering and a lack of transparency. Gamliel demanded a thorough investigation and even suggested police involvement, calling the situation a criminal suspicion.

Despite the tensions, Gamliel affirmed her commitment to the Likud party but condemned Katz’s hostile takeover attempts and his influence over party workers. She accused Katz of creating a dictatorship-like atmosphere within the party and using coercive methods similar to those he allegedly employed at the aerospace industry to influence votes. Gamliel also blamed Katz for blocking digital voting, which she said would prevent pre-marked ballots and forced voting against workers’ preferences.

In response, Katz’s office dismissed Gamliel’s claims as baseless, pointing out that official protocols showed Gamliel received 100% of the votes, which they argued was illogical. They accused Gamliel’s associates of falsifying results and highlighted that election observers, including the deputy mayor of Be'er Ya'akov, were present during the counting. Katz’s team denied any interference or fraud, calling the allegations nonsense.

The dispute highlights internal Likud tensions ahead of the upcoming elections, with accusations of corruption and manipulation threatening party unity.