Netanyahu Warns: “If a National Emergency Requires It, I’ll Lead an Organizing Committee”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed today (Sunday), during a meeting with local authority heads, the internal disagreements in the movement that led to a delay in holding the primaries. Netanyahu emphasized that he opposes an organizing committee and supports primaries in the party—but added: "If a national or security emergency requires it, I will head an organizing committee together with five additional local authority heads."

It should be noted that last week the District Court in Lod froze the vote on the proposals for determining the list in the upcoming Knesset elections. This came after a proposal opposing multiple reserved slots was not included in the list of proposals brought for decision, contrary to an earlier legal ruling.

Likud’s Constitution Committee is set to convene this evening for another discussion of Netanyahu’s proposal regarding changing the primary system and the list of reserved slots on the Likud slate for the 26th Knesset. The party’s judicial tribunal ordered a renewed review of the agenda proposals.

About 4,500 members of the Likud Central Committee who are eligible to vote are waiting for the committee’s decision on the reserved-slots framework. Under the framework approved by the Constitution Committee, Netanyahu would receive eight reserved slots on the Likud list, including three in the top ten and three more in the second ten.

Leading the Knesset members opposing the framework is MK דוד ביטן, who argues that the reserved slots could hurt the party and lower it in the polls. Bitan’s proposal is to hold full primaries in Likud and give Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu three reserved slots among the top 30 places, and five in total up to spot number 50. The reserved slots would be in positions 2, 6, 16, 39, and 48. In addition, nine district representatives would be elected directly by party members in each district, rather than through a limited party mechanism.

Netanyahu’s proposal seeks to give him eight reserved slots, as well as the option to swap a candidate who finished in a lower place into a spot that had been reserved. Under this proposal, Netanyahu would receive three reserved slots in the top ten, three more in the second ten, one reserved slot in 26th place, and another in 31st place. Meanwhile, places 27–30 would be allocated to district representatives from the Lowlands and Jerusalem–Judea and Samaria, Dan and Tel Aviv, and the Negev and Galilee.