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Monday, July 13, 2026
After repeated delays, Netanyahu to meet with Likud officials, decide on party primaries
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will huddle with Likud’s Constitution Committee chairman Minister Haim Katz and other party officials this afternoon to determine how the party’s primaries will be conducted, after the planned meeting was repeatedly pushed off.
The meeting is scheduled to take place in Jerusalem at 3 p.m. today, Katz announces in a memo, amid reports that he has been pushing to establish an internal selection committee to select the party slate, as opposed to holding primaries. Katz has denied the rumors.
The discussion on the method of selecting Likud candidates was supposed to be held last night, then abruptly rescheduled to today amid the governing coalition’s push to complete a raft of end-of-session legislation before the Knesset adjourns Friday.
Likud sources told Channel 12 yesterday that Netanyahu has been delaying the Constitution Committee meeting for fear that disgruntled lawmakers from his own party may boycott or abstain from key votes if unhappy with the party’s chosen election method.
Netanyahu has reportedly insisted on being granted the authority to handpick 10 people in the top slots, but has encountered internal opposition from Katz, some veteran lawmakers and Likud backbenchers who fear losing their seats.
The premier last month planned to scrap the primaries altogether if not granted substantial influence over the party slate, but later shelved the plan following pushback from senior party officials.
The Times of Israel Community.