Netanyahu warns he would leave Likud if 10-seat demand not accepted, party sources say

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cautioned Likud Central Committee Chairman Haim Katz that he may depart the party should his call for 10 reserved seats in the next election go unmet, according to Likud insiders who spoke with Maariv.

Sources note that Katz views the request as one that could severely weaken the party, whereas Netanyahu maintains the present tensions risk substantial harm to Likud overall.

The remarks reached Katz indirectly and form part of ongoing internal talks to shape the structure of upcoming primaries.

Insiders added that any division inside Likud would serve only the opposition, with sources predicting celebrations in the camps of Gadi Eisenkot, Avigdor Lieberman, and Naftali Bennett.

A recent Kan News report stated that Netanyahu is exploring ways to secure top-ten placements on the party list for Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and former Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon.

Bitan warns against Netanyahu's actions

Likud lawmaker David Bitan told 103FM on Monday that Netanyahu’s approach to election preparations, particularly the reserved spots issue, is misguided.

“This arrangement committee method does not fit Likud,” Bitan stated.

He stressed that the party has long relied on democratic ties between elected officials and central committee members, which sustain its vitality.

Bitan cautioned against altering the system just a month before primaries, noting that even if Netanyahu prefers models used by rival parties, such changes would not suit Likud.

Recalling Netanyahu’s own rise through democratic means, Bitan suggested that abandoning primaries could lead to the party’s disappearance within eight years.

Bitan believes Netanyahu won't step down

Bitan dismissed any notion of Netanyahu resigning, describing him as a natural fighter who remained in the Knesset after past electoral losses until reversing the situation.

He also criticized US President Donald Trump’s actions, saying they harm Likud and the State of Israel, though the party would respond accordingly.

Bitan further predicted recurring conflicts with Iran every year and a half to two years, requiring repeated efforts to curb missile developments.