Likud caucus members are expected to convene Wednesday night to vote on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's motion to move up the party primaries to Dec. 31 -- one week prior to their original date, set for Jan. 6. The 3,700-member caucus is also expected to vote on several other motions presented by Netanyahu, including holding the vote on the Likud's leadership and its Knesset list on the same day, securing two top slots on the Likud's Knesset roster subject to the party chairman's discretion, and reducing the number of individuals vying for slots on the party's national list from 19 to 16. The national list is the only Likud apparatus that allows MKs, as well as current and former ministers, to vie for a position on the party's Knesset roster. Likud members convened in the city of Ariel, in Samaria, on Tuesday evening to vote on several other motions. The conference was rife with tensions over recent polls suggesting that a Left-Center bloc could potentially erode the Likud's power after the elections. If Netanyahu's motion on the primaries' date is voted down, the caucus would need to convene again, ahead of Jan. 6, to vote on other ballot motions, which would have to be formulated by the Likud Executive Committee accordingly. Likud insiders expressed concerns that such a scenario would plunge the party into internal conflicts, which could undermine its position in the 2015 election campaign. Candidates seeking to vie for the Likud's chairmanship must apply by 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, which is when the various speculations regarding former minister Gideon Sa'ar's potential leadership bid would be put to rest. Party sources said chances of Sa'ar challenging Netanyahu were slim, but nevertheless, he is likely to wait until the very last moment before announcing his final decision. Technically, Sa'ar still has time to collect the necessary 1,000 signatures required from any Likud member eyeing the chairmanship. Meanwhile, sources in the Labor party said Tuesday that discontent over Chairman Isaac Herzog's intent to secure top-10 slots for Tzipi Livni and two other Hatnuah party members -- should the parties decide to join forces in the coming elections -- was growing. Labor members were also vexed by reports suggesting Herzog had promised to secure a top-10 slot for Kadima Chairman Shaul Mofaz should he join Labor's ticket. Herzog is said to be seeking a partnership with Mofaz because the former defense minister could fill Labor's need to include a defense expert in its ranks. Labor MKs expressed concern that Herzog's manipulation of the party's Knesset roster would come at their expense, and party insiders told Israel Hayom that the moves are likely to meet adamant opposition from Labor's Executive Committee, which must approve endeavor. Livni, who has been approached by Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid to run on a joint ticket with his party as well, is expected to make her decision within the next few days. Meanwhile, United Torah Judaism Chairman Yakov Litzman all but confirmed Tuesday that there was, in fact, an attempt to topple Netanyahu's government prior to the dissolution of the Knesset. "A businessman closely associated with Lapid approached Litzman on the possibility of forming an alternate government, as did a Yesh Atid MK," a close associate of Litzman's told Israel Hayom. The same two individuals also approached Shas leader Aryeh Deri, he said. Litzman commented on the issue Tuesday saying he was approached by "a very senior member of Yesh Atid, with an offer for a rotation between Lapid as prime minister and Herzog as prime minister, if I just join the government. Naturally, I declined." Former Health Minister Yael German (Yesh Atid) denied Litzman was approached by a Yesh Atid official. "No one approached him, not Lapid and no one sent by Lapid. Maybe it was someone from Labor. This entire putsch saga is nothing but a bedtime story."
