Big Appetite, Small Teeth: What Remains of the Likud Primaries?

An opinion column on Walla criticizes the Likud primaries, focusing on Netanyahu's reserved slots and the embarrassing campaign videos of candidates, including Israel Katz. The author quotes Bismarck on Italy to illustrate the gap between appetite and abilities, and criticizes the ethnic tests against the reserved slots for Ashkenazi members. He argues that the primaries expose the Likud's distancing from its roots and the state's dysfunction.

In less than a week, the Likud primaries will take place. The column sharply criticizes the conduct of the candidates and Netanyahu's reserved slots, which are expected to reserve 11 additional Knesset members, so that more than half of the list will be reserved. The author quotes Bismarck on Italy: "Such a big appetite and such small teeth," and applies this to Defense Minister Israel Katz, who pleads for a reserved slot despite his tough image in campaign videos. He also criticizes the videos of Idit Silman, May Golan, and Ze'ev Elkin, calling them embarrassing. He further raises the contradiction between the attacks on Gadi Eisenkot on ethnic grounds and the reserved slots for three Ashkenazi ministers. The author concludes that the primaries expose the Likud's distancing from its roots and the state's dysfunction.