Nir Barkat, a former Jerusalem mayor once considered a potential successor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, finished in 16th place in Likud's recent internal primary elections, a result that leaves his return to the next Knesset uncertain.
After accounting for reserved slots for regional representatives and other designated positions, Barkat's 16th-place finish puts him at approximately the 24th spot on Likud's final list. With most polls showing Likud winning between 22 and 23 Knesset seats, his political future hangs in the balance.
The relatively weak showing comes after Channel 12 News reported in recent weeks that Barkat had attempted to challenge Netanyahu's leadership following the October 7 attacks.
According to Israeli journalist Shalom Stein, reporting Wednesday, Barkat's position could have been far worse, he could have dropped to 32nd place, were it not for unexpected intervention from an unlikely source: members of the Gur Hasidic movement. The group reportedly convened secretly at midday and added Barkat's name to their recommended voting list in what Stein characterized as an attempt to send a message of rebuke to Netanyahu. They were instructed to deliver approximately 1,000 votes to Barkat, a significant boost considering that only 150 votes separated him from Zeev Elkin, who finished just behind him.
