Big Win for Netanyahu: Party Primaries Now Dec. 31
JERUSALEM, Israel -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at least partially silenced critics by winning a secret Likud vote Thursday to move the party's primaries up to December 31 from January 6.
Netanyahu supporters had wanted the earlier date to fend off challengers within the party to his chairmanship in advance of Israel's national elections to be held March 17.
The Knesset was dissolved earlier this week after divisions between left-leaning members of the government and the ruling Likud party widened in part over a law that would officially declare Israel to be a Jewish state.
A majory (65 percent) of party members voted to move the primary date, and afterwards, the most formidable potential primary challenger, former government minister Gideon Sa'ar, announced he would not contest Netanyahu for the Likud leadership. Sa'ar expressed dispproval of the primary move.
"Changing the rules in the middle of the game is not fair," he said.
Israeli print and airwaves have been filled with speculation about who might defeat Netanyahu. The prime minister addressed a Likud party crowd in Tel Aviv Thursday, telling them, "There is a public campaign in the press, almost unprecedented in size and strength, to support any politician or party that opposes a Likud-led government under me."
The party echoed Netanyahu's sentiments.
"Likud members outright rejected the unprecedented media campaign that promoted anyone running against Netanyahu. [Members] expressed sweeping confidence in the prime minister," Likud party officials said in a statement.
Leftist media members and politicians have sharply criticized Netanyahu for jeopardizing Israel's relations with the Obama administration.
But polls in Israel show strong public dissatisfaction with the way President Barack Obama and his administration have treated Israel and its leaders. The controversy is bound to be a major election issue in the coming weeks.
"The [media] campaign's clear goal is to bring the Left to power and give the Left the right to make key decisions about Israeli security," Netanyahu told supporters.
