After the Likud primaries: Two polls put Netanyahu in first place by a wide margin

Senior Likud officials are urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to utilize the swap provision, approved before the primaries, to elevate Minister Avi Dichter to a more realistic position on the party's election slate. This move is driven by Dichter's former role as Shin Bet chief and the belief that a senior security figure is crucial for Likud's electoral prospects, given the anticipated focus on security issues in the upcoming election.

Dichter, who was pushed outside the realistic range during the primaries, is now considered the most prominent security figure among Likud's senior members. The Likud party's Constitution Committee had previously approved the swap mechanism, enabling Netanyahu to move a candidate from the primaries into a position designated for the party chairman, while relocating the original reserved candidate to a lower position.

Despite initial opposition, the Likud court upheld the provision, stating that the promotion would come at the expense of a position reserved for the party chairman and not disadvantage another candidate elected by party members. Likud court president Michael Kleiner expressed support for giving preference to a candidate elected in the primaries over a reserved candidate.

Currently, the focus is on utilizing the swap provision for Dichter, with other potential candidates yet to be considered. The decision now lies with Netanyahu.