ISRAEL: Netanyahu Challenged For Party Leadership

The Associated Press reports:

Upstart Israeli politician Gideon Saar officially launched his bid to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as head of the ruling Likud party.

Netanyahu is Israel’s longest-serving leader, but he’s been weakened by a corruption indictment that may force him out of office, as well as back-to-back failures to form a government this year.

Saar’s leadership bid marks the first serious internal challenge to Netanyahu in his decade-plus in power. Though Saar is still a decided underdog to the embattled prime minister, he seems to be gaining traction ahead of the Dec. 26 vote among the party faithful.