The Likud party's comptroller barred Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu from running for the party's leadership spot in upcoming primaries Wednesday.
Attorney Shai Galili disqualified Netanyahu due to financial irregularities - the PM is accused of using Likud party resources to finance his own private leadership campaign.
For his part, Netanyahu insists that the ruling is non-binding, and is likely to appeal it.
The prime minister is set to face off against his political nemesis MK Danny Danon in primaries on December 31, after MK Moshe Feiglin pulled out of the race.