Supreme Court rejects appeal over Likud regional slots, backs party court ruling

Israel's Supreme Court rejected an appeal by MK Afif Abed over a Likud party court decision that overturned a vote allowing serving MKs, ministers, and deputy ministers to compete for regional slots on the party's Knesset slate. The justices criticized bringing the internal dispute to the High Court, citing no grounds for intervention.

Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an appeal by MK Afif Abed challenging a Likud party court decision that overturned a vote allowing serving MKs, ministers, and deputy ministers to compete for regional slots on the party's Knesset slate. Justices Daphne Barak Erez, Ofer Grosskopf, and Alex Stein heard the petition, with Abed withdrawing after indications the panel intended to reject it. The justices criticized bringing the internal party dispute to the High Court, with Barak Erez asking why the Supreme Court was needed and urging the parties to resolve it among themselves. Grosskopf said there were no grounds for judicial intervention, noting the District Court found no problem and the party court is the proper body to decide such matters. Attorney Guy Bussi argued the District Court found the Likud court exceeded its authority, but Barak Erez disputed that interpretation, saying the District Court found a flaw in only one of three grounds. Grosskopf stressed the high threshold for intervention in internal party rulings, noting the Likud court's decision stood.