Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening defied an ultimatum from Likud's internal party tribunal, declining to publish his proposed list of candidates for reserved slots on the party's Knesset slate by the court-imposed 9 p.m. deadline.
The tribunal, Likud's internal judicial body that oversees party procedures, had ordered Netanyahu, who also serves as party chairman, to release the names by Monday night. His refusal to comply could trigger a secret ballot among members of the party's central committee, known as the secretariat, which would allow them to vote down any of his proposed candidates individually.
In its earlier ruling, the tribunal warned that announcing the names of those receiving reserved spots shortly before a vote "could be interpreted as an inappropriate ambush." While acknowledging that political constraints might justify deviating from the original requirement to publish the proposal 48 hours in advance, the court emphasized that the list must now be shared with secretariat members urgently.
According to reports, Netanyahu has not yet finalized his decisions on all the reserved slots. Names that have surfaced so far include Oren Dvuronsky, Gideon Sa'ar, Haim Katz, and Yisrael Katz. Knesset member Michel Buskila is also expected to receive a reserved spot as part of an agreement with the Tikva Hadasha faction. Additional names under consideration reportedly include attorney David Peter, a researcher at the Kohelet Policy Forum, and Professor Keren Assaf.
Likud insiders estimate that Netanyahu intended from the outset to delay his final decision until the last possible moment. At the same time, he faces pressure from cabinet ministers and family members to select candidates clearly identified with the political right. The final names are expected to be announced Tuesday, the deadline for submitting party lists.
