The saga over the Likud primaries continued Monday as MK Tzipi Hotovely won her appeal to the Tel Aviv District Court against the Likud Court’s decision to hold a recount. 

Fully accepting the petition of Avi Dichter, who was originally placed in the 20th spot on the Likud Knesset list, before being relegated to the unrealistic 26th spot, the Likud court ruled that a recount of all the ballots in the primaries should be held Monday morning. 

The court admitted that recounting all the ballots would open a “Pandora’s Box” and is an embarrassment to the Likud, but also noted that there was no other choice.

Echoing her remarks from Saturday night, Hotovely’s Sunday evening appeal argued that the Likud Court’s decision was given without authority. 

Her petition comes across as rather strange given that two weeks ago, when Hotovely was in the 26th spot, she actively pursued a recount, arguing for the Likud Court to “do whatever it takes for justice to prevail.”

However, last week the Likud Election Commission bumped Hotovely up to the much more realistic 20th spot, explaining her change of heart. 

As for Dichter, who is considered a more “moderate” choice within the Likud party, he continues to push for a full recount to “reflect the will of the voter” despite being offered a compromise and the 11th position on the list – reserved for a candidate of the chairman’s choice.

After reviewing Hotovely’s petition Monday afternoon, the Tel Aviv District Court ruled an injunction on the recount which was 57% complete. 

Tel Aviv Court judge Magen Altuvia ruled that the “Likud Court intervened in the decision of the Likud Election Commission…and I found no basis for this intervention.”

“I accept the request and order the termination of the counting process until further decision before the appeal court,” the judge ordered.

Dichter is expected to appeal the decision to the Israeli Supreme Court. 

The continued legal and public bickering between Hotovely and Dichter has been seen as an embarrassment for the Likud party. 

The final submission date for Knesset lists with the Central Elections Committee is Thursday, and the party remains unable to decide where the two are supposed to or will be placed – nearly a month after primaries were held.