Netanyahu Presses Katz as Likud Reserved-Slot Deal Nears
Published
Fresh same-hour reporting says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went to Minister Haim Katz's home Monday morning to press Likud primary arrangements, with sources close to the talks saying the sides are moving toward agreement on how many reserved slots Netanyahu will receive. Netanyahu wants 10 slots in the top 30, while earlier reporting placed Katz and other party figures lower and put the working estimate at 8 slots. The Constitution Committee has already set Likud primaries for August 4 and voter-roll closure for July 7, keeping member primaries alive instead of a selection committee. The fight matters because Likud's list will shape the right-religious bloc, moderate-right outreach and coalition discipline before October's election.
Israel Elections 2026: date, polls and results
Sources
Difference in reporting
Sources factually diverge on both deal status and slot count. Ynet's July 6 report says Benjamin Netanyahu visited Haim Katz and that the sides are nearing agreement on the number of reserved slots, while Netanyahu still wants 10 slots in the top 30. i24NEWS reports a working estimate of 8 slots. Times of Israel and Jerusalem Post reported earlier that no agreement had yet been reached, with Netanyahu seeking 11 slots in the top 40 or up to 10-11 slots and Katz or other Likud figures resisting. The agreed facts are uniform: Likud primaries are set for August 4, Haim Katz chairs the relevant Likud committee track, Netanyahu is seeking reserved places on the slate, and the dispute will shape the Likud list before the 2026 election.
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