Israel: Netanyahu’s Likud party elects Knesset candidates

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party held primary election today to choose its candidates in the 9 April election.

A total of 142 candidates are vying in the vote, from which voters will select the top 12 preferred candidates to run in the Knesset election.

Some 120,000 party members are eligible to cast ballot in today’s vote. Official results are expected to be released tomorrow.

READ: Netanyahu urges smaller right-wing factions to unite

The Likud primaries brought to a boil the feud between Netanyahu and former Likud minister Gidon Sa’ar.

According to Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Netanyahu accuses Sa’ar, alongside President Reuven Rivlin, of plotting against having Netanyahu form the next government after the polls, vying for Sa’ar to run the party.

Sa’ar denies the accusation and insists that he would back Netanyahu to form the next government.

Modest Netanyahu – “I am ready to leave my position tomorrow as prime minister, but I have no one to leave the keys with” – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]