Netanyahu pushes to reserve seats for Sa'ar, Kahlon in top ten Likud slots - report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly maneuvering to secure prominent positions on the Likud party's Knesset list for Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and former Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, aiming for slots within the top ten. Sources within Likud suggest Netanyahu also intends to reserve a place for Haim Bibas, the mayor of Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut and chairman of the Center for Local Government.

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The primary system is not a technical tool but the beating heart of the Likud movement.

The party is slated to convene on Wednesday to deliberate on its future direction and the contentious issue of replacing traditional primaries with a selection committee. Netanyahu has reportedly expressed a desire for significant renewal within the party list, believing new candidates are essential for political reshaping and demonstrating a commitment to change. He has indicated that a small number of reserved slots would not achieve the broad renewal he seeks.

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It is the only mechanism that ensures proper representation for districts, women, the periphery, and entire sectors in Israeli society who see Likud as their political home.

However, the proposal faces internal resistance. Netivot Mayor Yehiel Zohar, a proponent of the primary system, described it as the "beating heart of the Likud movement," crucial for ensuring representation across districts, women, the periphery, and various societal sectors. While acknowledging the legitimacy of limited reserved slots for targeted adjustments, Zohar cautioned against canceling primaries altogether, viewing it as a "huge leap."

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But this tool must come as an addition to grassroots selecti