Prime Minister Netanyahu has reportedly abandoned efforts to cancel Likud primaries and is now expected to move forward with a deal that would keep the primaries in place while granting him between 8 and 10 reserved spots on the party’s Knesset list, Kan News reported.

The decision follows internal opposition within the party, led in part by Likud MK and Economic Affairs Committee Chairman David Bitan, who sharply criticized proposals to replace the primary system with a selection committee. Bitan argued that such a move would undermine the democratic foundations of the Likud and said changing the rules just weeks before the primaries would be inappropriate.

Bitan revealed that Netanyahu had sought to select the party’s list through a committee, calling it a major departure from longstanding party practice. He also questioned the value of expanding Netanyahu’s reserved slots, arguing that past appointments had not significantly strengthened the party’s slate.

The dispute prompted Bitan to file a petition against changing the selection process, arguing that tens of thousands of Likud members should not lose their right to choose Knesset candidates shortly before the vote. According to the report, Netanyahu now believes dropping the effort to cancel the primaries will help secure support for the reserved slots he is seeking.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)