Live UpdateFrom the Liveblog of Thursday, August 11, 2022

After poor primary performance, Edelstein said threatening to bolt Likud if not made minister

11 August 2022, 8:13 pm 1 Edit

Likud MK Yuli Edelstein at a conference hosted by Channel 13 in Jerusalem on July 26, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

After a poor performance in yesterday’s Likud primaries, MK Yuli Edelstein told confidants that he will quit the party if he is not named minister in the next government, the Kan public broadcaster reports.

It is not immediately clear whether Edelstein means he’ll quit politics or jump ship and start his own party or join another one. If three other Likud MKs were to join him, they would be able to form a new party.

After being No. 2 on the list in the last election, Edelstein has dropped to 18, likely over his decision to briefly try and challenge Benjamin Netanyahu for the chairmanship post.