Who gets in? Likud candidates face a high-stakes primary

Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political correspondent Tal Schneider joins host Jessica Steinberg for today’s episode.

After three IDF soldiers were struck and severely wounded by a Hezbollah drone in Lebanon on Friday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the unusual move of announcing the incident in English during Shabbat, Schneider says, to ensure the US administration understood the seriousness of the ceasefire violation.

Schneider looks ahead to Monday’s Likud feverishly contested primary, in which members of Netanyahu’s party will choose some, but not all, of Likud's Knesset slate.

The latest Zman Yisrael poll showed Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party opening a four-seat lead over Likud ahead of the October 27 general election, but the anti-Netanyahu Zionist bloc still not quite able to muster a Knesset majority. Eisenkot, she notes, might nonetheless aim to form a minority government.

Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Eisenkot opens up a lead on Netanyahu in new ToI poll, but both blocs shy of majority

Eisenkot vows ‘no compromise’ on IDF draft law, including for Haredim, if elected PM

MK Elazar Stern announces Yesh Atid exit ahead of likely run with Eisenkot

Report: Barkat co-led Likud effort to oust and replace Netanyahu after Oct. 7

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

Political correspondent Tal Schneider appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.