Likud MK: Netanyahu expected to work 'behind closed doors’ for influence over list - interview

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly preparing to influence Likud lawmakers ahead of a crucial Sunday vote that could grant him greater control over the party's Knesset list. Likud MK Amit Halevi, a member of the party's Constitution Committee, suggested that Netanyahu will engage in "closed door" discussions over the weekend to persuade lawmakers who oppose changes to the primary system.

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I think he’s trying on the weekend to meet them [Likud MKs] and to say, let’s do this, let’s do that, and he’s trying to build the formula with much less resistance.

The vote concerns a proposed shift in how the Likud selects its candidates for the upcoming elections. Currently, the party holds primaries where its registered members vote for the Knesset list. However, there are reports that Netanyahu seeks to alter this method to allow him to personally select candidates for the highest positions on the list. Halevi indicated that Netanyahu's presence at the committee meeting on Sunday is likely, driven by his desire to influence the outcome.

Halevi, however, stressed the significance of the Likud's primary system, highlighting that it allows over 100,000 registered members to participate in selecting candidates. He contrasted this with other parties, such as Blue and White and Yisrael Beytenu, which do not hold primaries and determine their lists internally. Halevi believes that maintaining the primaries is important for the party's identity and its large, engaged membership base.

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If I understood well, the prime minister will be there because... he wants to influence. That’s my opinion, according to my experience.

The proposed changes have been a subject of contention, with reports suggesting Netanyahu even threatened to leave the Likud if the reforms were not advanced. The vote, initially scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed to Sunday. Halevi expressed his belief that the primaries would not be canceled, despite some speculation, emphasizing the party's commitment to member participation.

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It’s not at all obvious in Israel’s current political climate that there is a party with over 150,000, now already close to 170,000 paying members, who want to be involved and are active, with over 100 branches across the country.