Beersheba Mayor Ruvik Danilovich Rejects Likud Offer for Reserved Spot
Beersheba Mayor Ruvik Danilovich has declined a high-ranking reserved spot on the Likud party list, choosing to remain in his municipal role after 18 years in office.
Beersheba Mayor Ruvik Danilovich, who has led the southern city for the past 18 years, has rejected an offer from the Likud party for a high-ranking reserved spot on its electoral list, political sources confirmed on Sunday.
Reports emerged on Friday indicating that senior Likud officials had offered Danilovich a guaranteed slot on the ruling party's slate. In response, the mayor stated that he does not comment on political offers. According to sources, Danilovich has decided to remain in his current municipal role.
This is not the first time Danilovich has been courted by national factions; he has previously declined numerous offers from both center and right-wing parties. Having left the Labor party years ago after shifting his political views—a transition he has frequently discussed in interviews—Danilovich has focused his public messaging in recent years on calls for national unity.
The attempt to recruit Danilovich ahead of the finalization of party lists coincides with efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure former IDF Chief of Staff and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi for a reserved Likud spot. Several prominent mayors associated with Likud have reportedly spoken with Ashkenazi in recent days to pressure him into accepting Netanyahu's offer.
