14:12 IL: Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita has completed his consultations with Shas’ Moetzas Gedolei Yisrael, appointing MK Aryeh Deri as the party’s leader. Deri will replace Eli Yishai, who led the party prior to the general elections.
Actually, upon Deri’s return ahead of the elections, Rav Ovadia tried to avoid machlokes and appointed the two along with Ariel Atias to head the party. The arrangement was unsuccessful, as is evident by Shas’ 11 seats in Knesset.
To the surprise of many, Deri returns to his leadership post at the expense of Yishai, who was appointed to lead Shas when Deri was compelled to resign over 12 years ago.
Rav Ovadia has also appointed Yisrael Atias at the head of the Shas; the political party, while Deri heads the faction in Knesset. Atias replaces Avraham Michaeli.
An official announcement is expected in the coming hours.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
What did Yishai do wrong? This is the “thank you” he gets?
Sorry ending to a pretty story.
Deri seems to have better political skills. He also is relatively “dove-ish” which might come in handy if it becomes necessary (and possible) to ally with the left-wing parties on the conscription issue — remember it is the nationalist parties who are pushing conscription — and Shas has always had very left-wing economic views and has a constituency that will be at least as outraged over the coalition economic policies as over conscription.