9 Responses

1. His whole leadership has involved allying with the Israeli nationalists – who have stabbed the Torah community in the back by adopting policies aimed at destroying the yeshiva world, not to mention economic policies that will hurt the members of Shas’s non-yeshiva constituency. The times suggest new leadership capable of opposing the Bennett/Lapid alliance.

2. If Deri joins with Shelly, goodbye to SHAS voters.
   The SHAS traditionalists are right-wingers, the yeshivish crowd has already joined UTJ (that is where there extra votes came from).
   By saying goodbye to the Israeli Nationalists, Deri will become a leader of an empty party. Deri would have accomplished more with the Mayoral position and Yishai back to head SHAS.

3. 1. For most Shas voters, the choice is between Likud (or perhaps, the old Herut/Begin side of Likud) and Shas. This group wasalaways attracted by Likud’s (former) policy of a populist offering of economic policies that appealed to the lower class Sefardim. Since Likud has joined with Bennett/Lapid in supporting anti-welfare state policies, this constituency will be annoyed with Likud and therefore be inclined to vote Shas.

   2. Nationalists never were attracted to Shas. Rav Yosef was never super-hawkish, and always said that both Torah and peace were more important than land (as opposed to Religious Zionists who attached a highest priority on land). Putting economics (welfare) and Yiddishkeit (yeshivos) ahead of land will therefore not alienate Shas voters.

   3. The most recent poll suggests that in the next election, Lapid will be the primary opposition to Likud. This means that the Hareidim and the Socialists have an option to offer Netanyahu an alternative to Lapid. It should also be noted that Deri has always aimed no to lead a powerful junior partner, but to lead the government. Thus we are not talking about Deri becoming Shelly Yachimovitz (or her sucessor)’s junior partner, but possibly the Prime Minister. Remember that if the Ashkenazi hareidim party, perhaps in response to the existential threat posed by drafting yeshiva students, agree to function as junior partners to Deri’s much larger party – then Deri is leading a faction as large as Lapid’s.

4. Akuperma: Usually I enjoy your comments as they have an individual look at things different to the mainstream. Often I disagree with you but I can understand your viewpoint too. In this case you are totally wrong. Yishai may have right-leaning feelings but his whole leadership is absolutely not “allying with Israeli nationalists”. He is first and foremost an honest man who followed exactly the instructions from HaRav Ovadia Yosef shlita. That is the true definition of his leadership. He did not manipulate his Rabbonim, nor hold himself above the masses – a straightforward mensch. Whilst I can understand the decision of Maran HaRav Ovadia, I can only feel sadness at the loss of this rare politician who tried his best in difficult circumstances to help each and every Jew in Eretz Yisroel.

   Zionflag: Your comments are such garbage that it is obvious that you live in America and just believe all the nonsense you read on other biased sites. For us Israelis you are the true “armchair zionist” who thinks he knows it all and has all the answers. We just laugh (or maybe cry) at you…..

5. #4 I guess your ears are not hearing the SHAS members of Raanana, Beis Shemesh, Rechovot and Beitar and believing your very skewed Hebrew-only media.
   Sefardic talmidim (extended family members)at Yeshivos voted UTJ and said goodbye to Shas forever. Answers I hope you have since I am still a ‘mevakesh’.

6. Yishai preached alliance with the nationalist parties. Through both their opposition to yeshivos, and their economic policies, the nationalist parties stabbed Shas in the back. Under such conditions, Yishai has to go. That’s how all politics works. Remember, the decision that hurt the frum community came exclusively from the right-wing nationalists. If Netanyahu had his way, there would be a coalition of Likud-Bayit Yehudi-Hareidim. It was Bayit Yehudi that drove the knife in the Shas’s back.

7. As I am quite close to Eli Yishai and his family, know them well, it is accurate to say that yes, Eli is a very straight man. What he needs more of is the ability to be what I call “a street fighter”, not like Deri who has little to his personal credit aside from having the help of Moshe and Yehudit Yosef to influence the 93 year old Ovadya Yosef. Perhaps one day it will come out why his son and daughter in law influence the old Rabbi the way they do, maybe even by following the money trail. Before the expiration of the 10 days Eli is taking, perhaps we will speak as we usually do of things for the future . . . .

   As the election campaign had just begun, he commented that “he never knew how much evil there was in the world” ( as that was when Deri began Obama type tactics to be be appointed the sole leader. After he failed to deliver in the election was the best time to dump him, but for the effect of old age on an otherwise good man.

8. “It was Bayit Yehudi that drove the knife in the Shas’s back”….NONSENSE and more nonsense. The path of politics is sheker, broken promises, lies and deceit. Eli Yishai tried to tread above this crooked path.

   It may pay to read and listen to what Aryeh Deri stated (in two Hebrew dailies), “My biggest a’von(mistake) was NOT meeting with Bennett when he called for a large religious block to confront coalition negotiations”

9. #3. Bennett tried to make the same deal with Shas before joining with Lapid. His goal was to unite all religious parties and to force Netanyanhu’s hand. Remember, Netanyahu and Bennett did not get along at that point. Shas rejected Bennett, who was then left with no choice then to join with Lapid, Otherwise, Bennett would have been left out of the government.

   Shas rejected unity, now they cry foul. Bennett outsmarted them. Besides Shas only cares for themselves.