Likud comptroller disqualifies Netanyahu from leadership race over use of party funds

Comptroller says PM used party resources for own political needs; Netanyahu’s attorney and central committee chairman say comptroller not authorized for such a move; issue likely to be brought to court in near future.

HAARETZ

The Likud comptroller has decided to disqualify Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from contending for leadership in the party primaries, citing his use of party funds for his own political needs.

Comptroller Shai Galili sent a detailed letter to Netanyahu’s attorney, David Shomron, explaining that the prime minister could not contend due to his repeated use of party property to advance his political goals.

“I am aware of the fact that this means disqualifying an incumbent prime minister and that such disqualification will lead to heavy political and monetary damage to the party [and will apparently mean alternative primary elections,” Galili wrote.

“The party’s bylaws give me no alternative but to disqualify a candidate who breaches its laws in such an extensive way,” Galili wrote.

Galili summoned Netanyahu to a hearing five days ago, after he allegedly used the party’s resources for political conventions to promote his Likud candidacy. Some two weeks ago, Netanyahu held a convention that was apparently forbidden at the party’s headq arters at Beit Jabotinsky in Tel Aviv. Netanyahu posted his speech, which urged party members to support his candidacy, on the Likud website – which is also considered party property.

Netanyahu did not attend the hearing. Instead, he sent his attorney Shomron responded to the summons by saying that the comptroller was not authorized to make such a qualification – that such a move was under the authority of the elections committee alone.

The Chairman of the Likud Central Committee, former judge Menachem Ne’eman, confirmed Shomron’s position that the party comptroller was not authorized to disqualify Netanyahu.

The debate over the question of who has the authority to issue a disqualification will likely be brought to legal deliberations very soon. Dragging the conflict to court will also threaten the date of the primary elections, which were supposed to be held next week.

If neither side petitions the district court over the disqualification, the matter will be brought to the Knesset central elections committee chairman for deliberation once the Knesset lists are submitted.

In his letter, Galili cited a number of examples in which he said Netanyahu had abused party resources, among them allegations that Netanyahu had wo Beit Jabotinsky staffers invite his political operatives to two electoral conventions, including candle-lighting ceremony last week organized by Minister Gilad Erdan in Kfar Maccabiah. Galili said that these actions violate election law.

Galili said that using party workers – who are expected to remain objective and uninvolved in party politics and resources – during primaries in order to promote his candidacy is equivalent to a monetary benefit or contribution from the party toward that candidate.