Netanyahu lost a few battles – but won the campaign

The Likud primaries have once again proven that the largest movement in the Israeli right is a living, vibrant, and complex creature, one that does not always obey the conductor's instructions. The final results paint a picture of constant tension between Benjamin Netanyahu's desire to shape a list that would be a "copy-paste" of his political vision, and the power of field mechanisms and traditional deals.

Despite the efforts invested by the party chairman's office, it has been proven that within the Likud fortress there are still independent power centers that refuse to bend. The impressive survival, for example, of David Bitan, alongside the victory of his candidacy for the new female slot over the candidate preferred by Netanyahu, are evidence that the Likud field still sanctifies personal alliances and commitments to branch heads.

Netanyahu may dominate the polls and the national agenda, but in the direct struggle against the deal machine, he is forced to acknowledge the limitations of his power. This is a Likud where deals are still stronger than the leader's recommendations, and where veteran Knesset members know how to preserve their power even without a tailwind from the office in Jerusalem.

However, a deep look at the composition of the general list and the strategic districts shows that Netanyahu can, and even should, be satisfied with the final result. At the top of the list are the figures most identified with the line of loyalty to him – Yariv Levin, Amir Ohana, and Miri Regev.

These are not just personal loyalists, but symbols of the new Likud, which has set itself the goal of reforming the judicial system and uncompromising governance. When adding to this his successes in the Tel Aviv and Shfela districts and the promotion of figures such as Moshe Saada and Ofir Katz, a combative, mostly homogeneous team is obtained, which sees Netanyahu not only as a leader but as a guide.

Bottom line, Netanyahu finished the intra-party campaign with the upper hand in the macro, even if he suffered losses in the micro. He did not manage to engineer every slot and every position, but the list that was formed is his. Moreover, the political structure of the Likud left in his hands the winning card in the form of the reserved spots. Those vacant places that allow him to fix what the voters did not provide, to fill personal gaps, and to polish the team exactly as he wishes.

In total, Netanyahu may not control every screw in the machine, but he holds the steering wheel of a vehicle that is traveling exactly in the direction he aimed for.