MK Avi Dichter
MK Avi DichterIsrael news photo: Flash 90

Former minister Avi Dichter is appealing to the Supreme Court over the District Court's decision to freeze the recount in Likud's primaries – a decision that would place MK Tzipi Hotovely in the 20th spot on the party list, and bump Dichter down to the much less realistic 26th.

Dichter said that in the course of the recount that began Monday, he enjoyed an advantage of 1,114 votes when 70% of the ballots had been counted.

"It is not clear why Tzipi Hotovely, who demanded a recount only two weeks ago, now opposes it strongly,” noted Dichter.

On Monday, Hotovely won her appeal to the Tel Aviv District Court against an earlier decision by the Likud Court's to hold a recount. 

Fully accepting Dichter's petition, who was originally placed in the 20th spot on the Likud Knesset list, before being relegated to the unrealistic 26th spot, the Likud court ruled that a recount of all the ballots in the primaries should be held Monday morning. 

The court admitted that recounting all the ballots would open a “Pandora’s Box” and is an embarrassment to the Likud, but also noted that there was no other choice.

Echoing her remarks from Saturday night, Hotovely's Sunday evening appeal argued that the Likud Court's decision was given without authority. 

Her petition came across as rather strange given that two weeks ago, when Hotovely was in the 26th spot, she actively pursued a recount, arguing for the Likud Court to "do whatever it takes for justice to prevail."

However, last week the Likud Election Commission bumped Hotovely up to the much more realistic 20th spot, explaining her change of heart.