Likud’s New List Following Primaries Brings Back Old Guard With Some New Faces

On Wednesday evening in Israel, the final list of candidates for the Likud party was published following yesterday’s primaries for the party’s list. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu did not participate in the primaries and as the head of the party will take the first seat.

Following him will be the winner of the primaries Yuli Edelstein, who has acted as the Speaker of the Knesset since 2013.

Minister Yisrael Katz took second place and will now sit third on the list. Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan took third place in the vote and will have the fourth seat, with Gideon Sa’ar, who is making a come-back into politics following a four-year hiatus will sit in the fifth seat. Sa’ar managed to climb as high as the fifth seat in spite of a blitz attack against him personally by the Prime Minister in the days before and during the day of the election. Netanyahu sent every message he could in order to convince party voters to not vote for Sa’ar.

Sports and Culture Minister Miri Regev took fifth place in the primaries and will be number six on the official list. Netanyahu said that he was very pleased with the list overall.

Filling out the top ten on the list are the notable personalities Minister Yoav Galant, Minister Yariv Levin, former Jerusalem Mayor and Likud newcomer Nir Barkat, and Minister Gila Gamliel.

Numbers 11 -20 in order are: Foreign and Security Committee Chair Avi Dichter, Former Ministers Zev Elkin, Ophir Akunis, Tzachi Hanegbi, and Haim Katz. Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely took 16th place on the overall list and was the third woman from the top. Yuval Steinitz followed her and then came, David Amsalem, Pinchas Idan (who was voted in representing the central plains district of the country), and Amir Ohana.

The list, published on many Israeli media sites continued on until number 35 on the list. Number 21 was a spot that Netanyahu asked to be reserved for his own choice, number 22 was won by Ofir Katz representing the Galil region. Number 23 was won Etti Attiah representing the Dan region. She was followed by Yoav Kisch and David Bitton. Number 26 was another spot reserved for a woman and was won by Keren Barak. Shlomo Karai took the 27th spot reserved for a representative of the Negev. The 28th spot is also a Netanyahu reservation and has yet to be decided, just like number 36. Twenty-nine went to Miki Zohar and number 30 went to Avraham Negosa who took the spot reserved for an immigrant. Michal Shir took the Tel Aviv allocated spot at number 31. She is followed by Patin Mula who took the 32nd spot reserved for a non-Jew. Kathy Shitrit took number 33 a spot reserved for a new woman who had not been previously on the list. Number 34 was reserved for a young member of the list and was won by May Golan. Uzi Dayan rounded out 35 by winning the spot reserved for the coastal region.

Of the list, only eight of the top 35 are women, and very few of the new party members are religiously observant.

The Likud MK who continuously made headlines for his shocking speeches and tactics Oren Hazan will not be returning to the Knesset as part of the Likud party.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)