Just hours after reports of the intention of several rabbonim to unite the chareidi parties into one list, the Shas party responded that this was not on the agenda and expressed concern about the implementation of the plan.
In a conversation with BeChadrei Chareidim, MK Yaakov Margi, chairman of the Knesset Education Committee, said that “what the Moetzas Gedolei Torah will decide is what will be accepted,” but, Margi adds, “If they ask me in my opinion, I will recommend opposing the move.”
MK Margi explains his remarks by saying that “right now, when everyone is fighting for his party, it does only good. The moment we all unite, one will rely on the other and not necessarily result in increased chareidi strength.”
Margi told BeChadrei, “We (Shas) pay the price in the polls for turning mainly to bnei Torah and not addressing the rest of the community, so a united struggle will cause both identity disruptions as well as the loss of voters.”
MK Yoav Ben Tzur said Thursday that Shas would run independently and added, “Shas, under the leadership of Interior Minister Deri, has wanted to expand itself to other constituencies that will not vote for a united chareidi party. Any rumor without foundation of the movement’s Moetzas Gedolei Torah stems from a political spin and fear of the strength of Shas.”
A senior member of the Shas movement told BeChadrei Chareidim that “a united chareidi party is the last nail in the coffin of the Sephardic party. If the leaders of the movement declare that there is no problem going with Degel and Agudah, then we will not have a mandate to go back and run separately.”
On the other hand, Agudas Yisrael does not rule out the possibility of a united race. A senior source in the chassidic faction told BeChadrei that. “the move is not known, but I do not rule out the matter.” According to the source, “when it is relevant, we will bring the decision of the Moetzas Gedolei Torah.”
A source in Agudas Yisrael added that “if the move saves the votes of Shas, which for most polls show the party is around the minimum threshold, it is the duty of the hour that the entire faction will support such a move.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
It was good for two filler stories on slow news days. First the manufactured story of the potential merger. And the bonus follow up story that it won’t happen. Gave busybodies something to read. And gave the site more ads to sell.
What Deri means to say is “I’m scared that if I team up with the chareidi askenazim the sfardi irreligious will go to Yishai and I can’t left him win, if I go down I’m taking Yishai with me”
using deri’s picture as the face of sephardic tradition is like using Reverand Al as the face of black people.