Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Defense Minister Israel Katz will receive a protected slot on the Likud party's electoral list, exempting him from competing in the party's internal primary elections.
Legal correspondent Avishai Greenzweig of i24 News revealed the arguments that Likud's legal counsel Bumbak and party director-general Sharan presented to the Likud tribunal in support of granting Katz this exemption. The legal team argued the move serves "the interest of the movement", invoking the tribunal's authority to grant any relief deemed beneficial to the party.
The presentation highlighted several of Katz's recent achievements in his defense portfolio. Notably, just one hour before the tribunal hearing, Katz announced live on Channel 14 the dismissal of Avi Bluth and his replacement with Dudu Bar Kalifa in a senior military position.
The legal team urged the tribunal to consider the party's broader interests in exempting Katz from the primary requirement.
The move surprised many observers, with some Likud Knesset members arguing it was unfair to party voters who expect to choose their representatives through the primary process.
Attorneys further contended that requiring Katz to campaign would be unjust to the defense minister himself, given that he spends countless hours in security meetings. Each session with the prime minister or cabinet security meeting requires extensive preparation time from the defense minister.
The final argument emphasized Israel's challenging security environment, asserting that the country needs a defense minister working full-time rather than one forced to attend bar mitzvahs and weddings as part of a primary campaign. The Defense Minister's Office, Likud's legal counsel, and the party director-general all declined to comment on the matter.
