Likud approves Netanyahu plan to appoint election candidates; party members allege vote fraud

The Likud Central Committee approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to reserve eight slots on the party's Knesset slate, with positions at Nos. 3, 5, 9, 11, 15, 18, 26, and 29. A separate proposal by Central Committee chairman Haim Katz, supported by Netanyahu, which alters the method for selecting district representatives and merges several electoral districts, passed by a narrow margin of six votes. This close result immediately led to allegations of vote fraud and demands for a new vote from some party members and activists, particularly at the Jerusalem branch where arguments erupted over uncounted envelopes. Despite the controversy, Likud stated that over 3,400 Central Committee members approved the proposals, with a 72.7% turnout, reflecting the party's strength. The party tribunal had previously ruled that primaries must be held, even if postponed or conducted digitally due to security concerns.