During a Wednesday morning 9 Teves interview with Kol Berama host Moti Lavi, Ha’Am Itanu party leader Eli Yishai told his side of the events surrounding the release of the damaging video, which led to Aryeh Deri’s resignation from Knesset.

Yishai stated emphatically that he is not behind the release of the video to Channel 2 News, and he does not know who is behind it. Yishai deplored the act, stating “It is not my way and anyone who knows me knows I would never act in such a fashion”.

Yishai continued, explaining how he is the victim of much disdain, hatred, threats and slander, yet he remains silent. “I only released a bit of what I have to say, only the minimum to set people straight. I will not say what I know and might wish to, for this is not my way and I will remain silent as I have for a long time”.

The former Shas leader added “This is not the black box I was referring to. If that were to be released there would be an earthquake far more serious than this”.

Kol Berama:

Are you willing to tell me here today that you will never release a harmful video, no matter how bad things get?

Yishai:

Yes, unquestionably. I told you this is not my way and I would never have a hand in such an act. It is simply against my nature.

Regarding the video in question, when asked if he was in the room at the time Yishai stated “no I was not. Maran would not have spoken about me like that in my presence. I was not there and I was not holding the camera”. Yishai detailed how Maran was aware that he was always being recorded and if he did not want his words on the record, he would signal to turn off the recording device so one cannot maintain he was unaware that he was being video recorded.

Some add that it is clear from the video that someone was in the room and was moving the camera around as is seen in the video. It is added one must recall this was filmed eight years ago, prior to the smartphones. Yishai stated there was no reason to conceal the camera for that was the norm in the house.

He added that anyone who understood the situation in Maran’s home knew the cameras were always rolling. He pointed out that two famous videos, one with Maran and the granddaughter lighting candles and the other with Maran at Kever Yehoshua bin Nun were also family videos that someone took and released to the public.

Kol Berama:

How can one just enter the family home and know what video to take and walk out with it?

Yishai:

I cannot say but I can tell you there were a number of private videos that have been released. It had nothing to do with the leak but realize, this was not the first family video that was leaked to the media. As to who and why, this I do not know.

Some of the experts add that “Yishai is too politically astute to have released this video at this time. Yishai knows if he wanted Shas seats and to blow Shas away, such a video is released days before an election, not weeks before”.

Yishai went on to stress the need for achdus, and with this he was clear that there is no road that leads back to Shas for he stated “The two parties must work together towards uniting voters behind the parties and then with that achdus, elect a large chareidi representation in the next Knesset. He stated he plans to work with Shas, and to work to get budgetary allocation for the 20 Knesset. He promises to work to bring additional budgets to the Shas-affiliated Mayan Chinuch education network, and not chas v’sholom to work against it.

He stressed that working together however demands a total and complete cessation of attacks, rhetoric and the pashkavilim against him. He calls on Shas to begin working towards a unity arrangement.

Lavi asked a number of questions including Yishai’s feelings over his decision to reign from Knesset and the harsh letter about him from Rabbi Ba’adani Shlita, a member of Shas’ Moetzas Gedolei Yisrael. He declined to respond, wishing Deri success explaining “I am not going here and I am not going to speak out against talmidei chachamim”.

Yishai added “I remember the final words of Maran prior to slipping into the coma from which he never awakened. There were others in the hospital room too. There were witnesses. He cried and cried asking my forgiveness for betraying me, crying ‘Rav Eliyahu I am sorry for what I did and what was done to you’”.

Yishai pointed out that at one time, Agudas Yisrael and Degel Hatorah were enemies and they got together, despite their differences, to increase their Knesset representation. He explained his party is willing to do the same with Shas and that is what is required towards increasing the chareidi tzibur’s representation in Knesset.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)