Netanyahu's associates may be pushed out of the Likud list – these names are at risk

In the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they are following the Likud primaries with anxiety, against the backdrop of fears that deals made between groups and activists in the party could harm precisely those Knesset members who are identified with him and considered loyal to him. Among the names causing concern are Boaz Bismuth and Amichai Chikli, who, according to estimates, could be pushed to unrealistic spots on the Likud list for the Knesset.

During tours conducted by Netanyahu's people on the ground, it turned out that some of the heads of the powerful groups in Likud, including those considered clearly identified with the Prime Minister, such as Ronen Plot and Yechiel Zohar, removed at the last moment the names of Bismuth and Chikli from the deal forms they distributed.

This fear fits into a broader picture emerging in the political system: the next Likud list may look significantly different from the current one. A series of ministers and veteran Knesset members are conducting a real battle for survival in the primaries, with some of them likely to find themselves outside the next Knesset.

The struggle this time is particularly crowded. Some of the spots on the list are reserved in advance, new candidates are trying to break through, and at the same time, dozens of contenders are fighting for a limited number of spots considered realistic. In such a situation, even a well-known name or long seniority in the party does not guarantee a spot in the Knesset.

Meanwhile, the tension in Likud is expected to continue even after the polls close. According to the party's announcement, preliminary results of the vote are expected to be received around 23:00 tonight. During the morning hours of Tuesday, the almost final picture is expected to become clear, while the official results are supposed to be published on Tuesday in the afternoon or evening.