Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu took an unconventional political step Wednesday when he asked the Israeli public to recommend candidates for the Likud list's as-yet-vacant 11th and 23rd spots, which have been reserved for candidates of his choosing.
In a status on Facebook and Twitter, Netanyahu wrote:
"Citizens of Israel, dear friends. I am proud of the Likud's members. They selected an excellent list for the Knesset. A serious and responsible list that represents all parts of the nation. Secuar and religious, veteran citizens and immigrants. Mizrachim (Middle Eastern Jews) and Ashkenazim. Elder and younger citizens. A varied, responsible list with new faces from the Negev and Galilee.
"But the Likud members did another thing. They overwhelmingly supported my suggestion to add two more candidates in realistic spots on Likud's Knesset list. I would be happy to receive from you, citizens of Israel, suggestions and ideas for selecting these candidates. Please send your suggestions to the email address: [email protected]."
Netanyahu's move will probably be hailed as a brilliant and democratic one by his supporters, and scorned as a sign of desperation by his detractors. Netanyahu has been under pressure from numerous directions regarding the two vacant spots, including women's activists who say the Likud list suffers from a dearth of representation for the fair sex.
The move is an innovative one but it does not come as a complete surprise to Israelis, since reporters have been saying for several days that Netanyahu may opt for a "reality show" type solution for the empty spots.
In asking Likud to allow him to select some members of the Knesset list, Netanyahu followed Jewish Home head Naftali Bennett's lead. Bennett is to choose two of every ten candidates in the Jewish Home list.