Netanyahu’s Likud Party holds primaries ahead of Israel’s general elections

What the report says

Israel’s governing Likud Party is holding primaries on Monday to decide its candidate list for the country’s next general election, according to Al Jazeera. The vote comes as Israel heads toward what the outlet described as a highly consequential election for both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his party.

Al Jazeera said Likud’s internal contests are among the most combative events in Israeli politics, because the party list helps determine who is likely to win seats under Israel’s proportional representation system. Parties submit ranked slates of candidates for the 120-member Knesset, and the higher a name appears, the better the chance of entering parliament if the party secures enough votes.

The report placed the primaries in the broader context of Likud’s long role in Israeli politics, including its shift of the political center to the right and its support for settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. It also noted that several places on the list are reserved or effectively secured through Netanyahu’s leadership and internal party deals, leaving a smaller number of competitive spots for other contenders.

Among the figures highlighted were Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Likud Constitution Committee chair Haim Katz, along with other candidates Netanyahu has backed. Al Jazeera said the primaries matter because they shape the party’s future leadership, policy direction and standing in a national race likely to influence Israel’s approach to Gaza, settlements and wider regional security.