The battle for Likud heads: MK Sa'ar launches his election campaign

Netanyahu's opponent will open the party's campaign for an event with activists and supporters in Or Yehuda. Sa'ar is the only senior who has declared his deal with the prime minister and is expected to repeat his call for a public confrontation. Former Minister Haim Katz came to the conference along with five MKs in the Likud

Live broadcast from MK Sa'ar's activists conference in Or Yehuda (Photo: Niv Aharonson)

Knesset Member Gideon Sa'ar launches his Likud-led Likud campaign on Monday, at an event attended by 1,000 activists and supporters in Or Yehuda. Sa'ar, the only party official to announce his deal with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the December 26 primaries, is expected to speak at the conference. Among other things, he is expected to repeat his call for Netanyahu to hold a public confrontation ahead of the deal. Sa'ar arrived at the conference, accompanied by his wife's redemption of Sa'ar-Sa'ar, and was greeted with the cries of "Oh who did this next prime minister come from?"

In recent weeks, Sa'ar has recruited a large number of Likud heads and branch leaders who supported him, including major mayors such as Rishon Lezion, Acre and Eilat, and the Likud's largest commanders in the settlements, but most of the Likud faction in the Knesset has stood behind Netanyahu.

Five Knesset members came to Sa'ar's support conference this evening. Michal Shir, Yoav Kish, Sharan Shelley, and former Minister Haim Katz. The first four expressed public support for him, while Katz, who is thought to be very close to the storm, did not say in his voice whether he supported him, but was present at the campaign launch conference this evening. According to Katz, if Netanyahu invites him to his conference, he will come too. In addition, the mayor of Ramat Gan Carmel Shama-Cohen, former MK MK Yehuda Glick, came.

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Will be called again to public confrontation with Netanyahu. Saar, tonight (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Gideon Sa'ar during Likud's Opening Election Conference, Hermitage Hall, Or Yehuda December 16, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Acre Mayor Shimon Lankari opened the evening, saying that "the movement has come to a dead end and together with the State of Israel in one of its complex moments. Netanyahu is one of the excellent prime ministers who have been in Israel, but unfortunately he failed twice in assembling the government even though the Likud received a record number of seats."

He added that "Gideon Sa'ar has been the meat of the Likud for decades. Gideon has been entertaining human rights and values ​​that are valued and worthy. It is time to move the reins to Gideon Sa'ar."

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Former Minister Katz tonight (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Haim Katz at the opening of Gideon Sa'ar's pre-Likud elections, Hermitage halls, Or Yehuda December 16, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

At the same time as Sa'ar's conference, Netanyahu will also continue his primaries campaign across the country for the third consecutive evening, during which he will be tonight at the branches in Ramla, Lod and Holon and will meet with Likud officials.

Netanyahu is accompanied by Ministers Israel Katz, who serves as the head of the primaries, and Miri Regev, and most of the ministers and MKs who support him join the events. The only two senior officials who did not announce who they support are Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein and Minister Gilad Arden. Edelstein is likely to remain on the fence and not support any candidate, and Arden, who is back by both Netanyahu and Storm, has yet to decide if and who he will support.

(Update first: 19:18)

MK Kish at the entrance to the conference (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Yoav Kish at the opening of Gideon Sa'ar's pre-Likud elections, Hermitage halls, Or Yehuda December 16, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Former MK Yehuda Glick at Gideon Sa'ar primaries to open Likud (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Yehuda Glick at the opening of Gideon Sa'ar's pre-election elections, Likud Halls, Or Yehuda December 16, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)