The Draft Battle Has Reached Here Too - World War in the Likud Primaries

In the Likud primaries in the Dan-Tel Aviv district, Shlomo Lerner, a reserve soldier, and Elishav Rabin, a Haredi candidate backed by organized Haredi registration, are competing. Lerner served over 400 reserve days, while Rabin relies on support from Likud figures. The race reflects tensions around the draft law.

In the Likud primaries in the Dan-Tel Aviv district, a tight race is underway between attorney Shlomo Lerner, a reserve soldier and entrepreneur, and Elishav Rabin, a Haredi candidate. Lerner served over 400 reserve days during the war, including in the Gaza Strip. Rabin, who previously served as an aide to former Shas chairman Eli Yishai, relies on organized Haredi registration into the party and on support from Likud figures, including MK David Bitan. Lerner's camp claims that about 1,000 new Haredi members in the district could give Rabin a significant advantage, though this figure comes from the rival camp and is not official. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly expressed support for Lerner. The district race reflects the broader tension in Israeli politics between the reserve service community and the Haredi sector, against the backdrop of the dispute over the draft law and equality of burden.