"It's not certain that the golden parachute will help": Netanyahu's associate in an internal attack on Likud

An associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is attacking Knesset members and ministers following a tense battle over the most controversial clause — the one that will allow incumbent Knesset members, ministers, and deputy ministers to run in districts and on reserved slots as well.

"Despite the fact that Haim Katz barely won on the clause that allows Knesset members to run in the districts, it is not certain that Eti Atiya, for whom the law was passed, will be a Knesset member," the associate of Netanyahu fumed.

The associate of the Prime Minister, a powerful figure in the Likud party himself, launched an attack against some of the ministers and Knesset members who are considering running in the districts against new candidates: "Many Knesset members who intended to run in the districts will lose to new candidates. It is true that the decision passed, but the field has proven that it is very strong."

"There are Knesset members and ministers who are thinking of running in the districts, and it is not certain that the 'golden parachute' they received from Haim Katz will help them. It is also not certain that Knesset member Eti Atiya, because of whom the clause was created in the vote, will enter the Knesset," he concluded.

Leading the opposition to the clauses last night was Knesset member David Bitan. In recent days, Bitan claimed that the proposals are initiatives of the Likud Central Committee chairman, Minister Haim Katz, and not of Netanyahu. According to him, the move is expected to harm new candidates and will not lead to strengthening the list.

"We put Netanyahu in the first place — if he brings all the votes, why is he bringing the reserved candidates?" Bitan wondered in an interview he gave to 103FM.

Regarding Katz, he said that he is "going to create a faction within the Likud because of a political combination he made together with Netanyahu. They are harming the party," he charged. According to him, "they are working the registered members here — five reserved spots that do not lift the list anywhere."

Referring to the conduct of his party colleagues in the context of the primaries, he said that "the behavior of the ministers and Knesset members shames us." According to him, "they are afraid to speak and do something related to the matter, because he (Netanyahu) appoints the ministers after the elections, and he can fire them today if they go against him." Bitan added that the Knesset members "are afraid of the 'Bibists' who will take revenge on them if they say something," but insisted that the vote is secret, and claimed that "the registered members can do whatever they want in it."