The Likud Constitution Committee on Monday approved, by a majority vote, a proposal by Minister Haim Katz granting Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu eight reserved spots on the party’s Knesset list through the 31st slot.

Under the proposal, Netanyahu would receive reserved placements at Nos. 3, 5, 9, 11, 15, 18, 26, and 31. The committee also approved an option authorizing the prime minister, if necessary, to adjust electoral districts and the reserved slots accordingly between positions 29 and 33.

It also appears that Likud will hold party primaries, although they are expected to be postponed until August 17. A vote on postponing the primary date is scheduled for Thursday, July 16.

The developments follow internal debate within Likud over the scope of Netanyahu’s reserved slots. According to party officials, committee members were presented with two alternatives: establishing a selection committee to determine the party’s list, or holding primaries while granting Netanyahu reserved slots. The second option was considered both the preferred and more realistic approach.

The central dispute focused on the number of reserved slots. According to those officials, the minimum under discussion was eight, while the maximum was eleven. Even the lower figure was described by senior Likud officials as unprecedented during Netanyahu’s tenure. One Likud source said, “Eight reserved slots through the 40th place is a lot — there has never been anything like it, but you can more or less live with it; that’s roughly two reserved slots in every group of four. But if it’s eight reserved slots through the 30th place, that dramatically changes the list.”

The same sources argued that Netanyahu negotiated strategically. “His smart move was opening the discussion by demanding 11 reserved slots. Now that they’re talking about eight, it sounds like a reasonable compromise — even though eight is still an enormous number,” one source said. Other party officials also criticized changing the list itself, saying, “In effect, we’ve surrendered to our rivals’ narrative that the Likud list isn’t good. Instead of standing behind the list and presenting its achievements, we’ve adopted the assumption that it needs to be fixed. That’s an unnecessary surrender.”

MK Tally Gotliv welcomed the decision, writing on X: “There will be primaries, with G-d’s help! I’m happy to tell you that although I fought this battle completely alone, it was clear to me that the prime minister would not cancel the primaries or show contempt for Likud’s loyal voters. Despite all the briefings about a selection committee, there will be primaries because Likud is a democratic party that counts its voters. The prime minister will have reserved slots, and the rest of the candidates will, as usual, compete in the primaries.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)