Likud Faces Potential Loss of 2-3 Seats Amid Concerns Over Tali Gottlieb's Rising Support

As the Likud party prepares for its upcoming primaries, internal discussions have intensified over the growing popularity of Knesset member Tali Gottlieb. During a meeting on Friday, party leaders reviewed internal polls presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, indicating that Gottlieb enjoys strong backing among Likud members and is likely to secure a prominent position in the party's second top ten on the electoral list.

However, the same data suggested that placing Gottlieb high on the list could cost the party two to three seats in the general election, as it might alienate certain voter segments the party aims to attract. In response, some party officials proposed efforts to reduce her support among members to prevent her from advancing too far up the list. Netanyahu described these findings as "disturbing" but chose not to lead any official campaign against her, instead expressing confidence that party members would make the right decisions in the primaries.

Gottlieb herself dismissed the reports as "false briefings" and claimed she was advised by Netanyahu's office not to respond to such allegations. In a tweet, she accused left-wing media of attempting to influence Likud voters against her and reaffirmed her commitment as a proud right-wing Likud member, emphasizing her significant local electoral strength and gratitude for her supporters despite opposition from the left-leaning press.