After conducting a recount in the 587 election polls for the Likud primaries held last week, Gideon Saar moves into the third place. Saar, who is making his comeback into the arena, has become a threat to Prime Minister Netanyahu, with Mr. Netanyahu announcing following the first primary election, in which Saar was in fourth place, that he would not be appointed to a senior post in the 21st Knesset.
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein remains in first place, followed by Yisrael Katz as was the case following the count of the votes last week. Ministers Yariv Levin and Yoav Galant exchange positions in the new list, to the sixth and seventh slots. There are no changes from the eighth to eleventh slots.
The lineup:
1. Binyamin Netanyahu
2. Yuli Edelstein
3. Yisrael Katz
4. Gilad Erdan
5. Gideon Saar
6. Miri Regev
7. Yariv Levin
8. Yoav Galant
9. Nir Barkat
10. Gila Gamliel
11. Avi Dichter
12. Ze’ev Elkin
13. Chaim Katz
14. Tzachi Hanegbi
15. Ofer Akunis
16. Yuval Steinitz
17. Tzipi Hotevely
18. David Amsellem
19. Pinchas Edan
20. Amir Ochana
21. Ofer Katz
22. Ettie Atiya
23. Yoav Kisch
24. David Biton
25. Keren Barak
26. Shlomi Kari
27. Miki Zohar
28. PM to announce
29. Avraham Neguise
30. Michal Shir
31. Patin Mula
32. Kathy Sheetrit
33. May Golan
34. Uzi Dayan
35. Ariel Kellner
The recount was demanded after major discrepancies were documented, including candidates receiving more votes at a polling station than the number of people who voted.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)