Ahead of Netanyahu meeting, Likud’s Haim Katz denies pushing for internal panel to pick slate

Ahead of a planned meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tonight, Likud’s Constitution Committee chairman, Minister Haim Katz, denies reports that he is promoting the establishment of an internal selection committee instead of holding party primaries.

Katz “is not promoting the establishment of an [internal] selection committee. [Claims to the contrary] stem from briefings by interested parties,” the minister says in a statement, adding that he “supports and wants the Likud primaries to take place,” and “reiterates that the ultimate decision regarding the election method will be made by Likud members when they cast their votes this coming Tuesday.”

The denial comes hours before Katz is set to meet with Netanyahu to discuss how the party will select its Knesset slate, amid an internal Likud dispute over whether to hold primaries or instead empower a committee to determine the candidate list.

A reported Netanyahu plan to cancel the primaries altogether appears to have been shelved following opposition from senior Likud figures. However, the premier has continued negotiating over the scope of his authority to reserve places on the party list, on the assumption that primaries will go ahead.

Nevertheless, party lawmakers told Ynet last week that the longer the Constitution Committee fails to convene to set up primaries, the more likely it looks that Netanyahu will get his preference for an internal selection committee that would effectively give him the power to handpick candidates for the party slate. Ynet reported that many ministers quietly support the idea of such a committee, but Likud backbenchers strongly oppose it, fearing they will lose their seats.

Netanyahu may also seek to delay a final decision until at least Friday — when the Knesset is set to adjourn for an extended recess ahead of the election campaign — allowing the coalition to complete a raft of end-of-session legislation before resolving the contentious issue, to prevent disgruntled Likud lawmakers from possibly boycotting or abstaining from key votes.