Likud officials pressuring Netanyahu to move Avi Dichter into realistic party position using 'swap'
This message is now being conveyed to Netanyahu primarily because of Dichter's status as a former Shin Bet chief and concerns that Likud could enter the election without a senior security figure.
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.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
