A political and legal drama is unfolding within the Likud movement following the primary elections for the 2026 national elections. According to ynet reports, a recount of ballot boxes in Be'er Ya'akov led to a significant shift in candidate positions on the Knesset list. Based on the updated data, MK Eti Atiya, supported by Minister Haim Katz, surpassed Minister Gila Gamliel, pushing the latter to the unrealistic 35th spot, while Atiya was placed in the 25th spot reserved for women.
This process prompted serious allegations from Gamliel's camp, claiming that the recount was conducted amidst irregularities and that the results do not reflect reality. Consequently, Gamliel petitioned for an injunction to halt the publication of the final results. In response to the process, frictions and disputes regarding the fairness of the count were recorded, with Gamliel's team raising concerns regarding the circumstances of the disappearance of ballot boxes and the reopening procedure.
Conversely, Likud management stated that the process is being conducted in accordance with decisions by the party's election committee, chaired by retired judge Menachem Neeman, and in line with the guidelines of the party's internal tribunal. In total, the ballot boxes were recounted three times. Likud management clarified that the official and final results will be published this coming Thursday, only after the appeals period concludes and a final decision is reached by the movement's legal bodies.
The case illustrates the legal and procedural complexity involved in managing primary elections in large parties, where individual clerical errors or irregularities can lead to dramatic changes in the composition of the Knesset list and the initiation of complex legal proceedings within the political system. The basis of the legal struggle focuses on the validity of the count and claims regarding a lack of transparency in the procedure held at the security headquarters in Holon.