Your Email:

Friend's Email:

Note: (optional)

Subject:

Message: <br /><br /> If you are having trouble reading this email, you may view this article online at: http://www.jweekly.com/7007/full/7007/likud-party-axes-primaries-to-pick-knesset-candidates/ <br /><br /> <b>Likud Party axes primaries to pick Knesset candidates</b> <br /> Friday, November 14, 1997 | by <p>NAOMI SEGAL </p> <br /><br /><p>JERUSALEM—The Likud Party has abolished the primaries that determine the party's list of candidates for Knesset elections.<br /><br /> The vote to cancel the primaries came early Wednesday at the end of a stormy Likud Party convention.<br /><br /> At the center of the tumult was the question of where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood on the primaries issue.<br /><br /> Observers suggested that the premier was disingenuous when he called Tuesday night for a postponement of the vote and that he really wanted to abolish the primaries to tighten his grip on the party.<br /><br /> As Netanyahu pleaded with the 2,000 delegates to delay the vote, senior aides to the prime minister were reportedly working to ensure the primaries' cancellation.<br /><br /> Some observers suggested that Netanyahu favored the previous system of central committee members choosing the Knesset candidates as a means to block potential challengers from within his party.<br /><br /> Two former Cabinet ministers—Dan Meridor and Ze'ev "Benny" Begin—are among the Likud activists who have been seeking to replace Netanyahu as head of the party.<br /><br /> Several of his current ministers termed the convention's action as undemocratic. The move could lead disgruntled Likud activists to break away from the party.<br /><br /> Knesset member Meir Sheetrit, who heads the Likud caucus, said he was preparing legislation with his Labor Party counterpart that would require all political parties to hold primaries.<br /><br /> From the outset of the convention, a majority of the party's central committee members called for restoring the old system of patronage used to draw up the list.<br /><br /> Likud introduced primaries for the first time before last year's Knesset elections, enabling the party's 200,000 rank-and-file members to choose the list of candidates.</p> <p> </p>

Please enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below: