High-profile case8/12/2026

Petition Withdrawn: Likud MKs Will Not Be Able to Run in Constituencies

Likud MK Afif Abed withdrew his petition to the Supreme Court against a decision by the party court. As a result, the ban preventing incumbent Likud MKs from competing at the constituency level in the party primaries remained in effect.

Key facts

•Petitioner: MK Afif Abed
•Court: Supreme Court of Israel
•The petition was withdrawn
•The ban applies to incumbent Likud MKs
•Source updated: August 13, 2026

Reason for the Dispute

The Likud Court decided not to allow the party’s incumbent MKs to participate in the constituency elections. Afif Abed challenged this decision before the Supreme Court. According to the source, the Likud primaries were expected to be held the following Monday.

The Supreme Court’s Position

During the hearing, the justices made clear that they saw no justification for intervening in the internal party decision and suggested that the parties try to reach an agreement. Justice Grosskopf noted that matters of this kind should be decided by the Likud Movement Court, which had already issued a reasoned decision on the matter.

How the Proceedings Ended

Following the justices’ comments, Abed withdrew the petition. Therefore, the Supreme Court did not overturn the party court’s decision, and the ban it imposed remained in effect. The source did not provide a case number or a separate written decision issued by the Supreme Court.

Legal Basis

The report indicates that the Court relied on the need to respect the authority of the party’s internal court in matters of party candidacy. The publication did not mention a specific statute or statutory provision.

What this means for you

The decision affects first and foremost the candidates and participants in the Likud primaries: the party’s incumbent MKs will not be able to use the constituency track to run. For members of political parties in Israel, the case also illustrates that courts may refrain from intervening when a party’s internal court issues a reasoned decision within the scope of its authority.

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