Netanyahu may delay election due to Gaza op

Netanyahu formed a task force of three Likud officials to determine whether the party’s Knesset candidates list could be chosen in the midst of the operation. Likud attorney Avi Halevy, party campaign manager Tzahi Braverman and Netanyahu’s political adviser Gabi Kadosh were tasked with determining whether the primary could be delayed until just ahead of the December 6 deadline for parties to submit their lists of candidates to the Central Elections Committee.
“If Pillar of Defense goes on, it will be impossible to carry out the primaries in the largest parties,” Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan said at a cultural event in Ness Ziona. “The primaries would have to be postponed in order to prevent harm from coming to the people who come out to vote.”

Daniel Tauber, who is running for a young spot on the Likud list, became the first candidate to request a delay in the primary on Friday morning.

"Members of Knesset and Ministers should not have to spend time campaigning when they should be dealing with urgent security matters and working to unify the country instead of reaching out to only Likud members," Tauber wrote. "Campaigns should not be brought to fever pitch as our soldiers are risking their lives fighting our enemies and residents of the South are forced to hide in fear."

Likud MK Carmel Shama- Hacohen, who is expected to have a tough time winning a realistic slot in the primary, wrote to Netanyahu, urging him to postpone the vote in the Likud, saying that it would be improper to hold the race when so many party members have been called for reserve service.