Shas leader Aryeh Deri conducted a lengthy interview with Kol Berama Radio on Wednesday evening 19 Cheshvan 5774, the day following municipal elections around Israel.
When asked to comment on Shas’ failures in the Yerushalayim and Elad elections, Deri came back surprising the host, for he insists “We did not lose. Shas did what it promised and the loss in those places is due to others, not Shas.”
Deri explained that in the Jerusalem race Shas delivered the votes as promised. He added that the 10,000 blank ballots in addition to the over 7,000 votes that went elsewhere [Bnei Torah mayoral candidate] along the many who did not get out and vote from the chareidi tzibur are to blame, not Shas. Deri detailed that the Ashkenazi chareidi parties promised to back Leon, who he stressed was not Shas’ candidate but the Yisrael Beitenu candidate, adding it would appear not all those who promised to back the deal kept their word. Deri made no apologies and directed the criticism to the Ashkenazi chareidim, not Shas. He stated that the main failure in the Jerusalem mayoral race falls on Likud/Beitenu for the party promised 40,000 votes and fell short by about 15,000. He directed the question of “why the failure” to Yisrael Beitenu leader Lieberman.
Regarding Elad he admits there is much work to be done and lamented the fact there is no achdus. When asked why Shas put up its own candidate he stated “The Ashkenazim were unwilling to back out candidate and Krisfel was not our first choice, but whoever we mentioned the response from the Ashkenazim was no. “What can I do if the Ashkenazim insist on running their own candidate? Do you expect Shas to just fold up and walk away in Elad?”
Deri added that while Shas did not win in the mayoral races as hoped, the party earned significant strength on city councils nationwide so from his perspective, the election was a success.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
What a pathetic spin. If your candidate lost – you lost. If you lost because you put together a losing deal with the wrong guy, your party still lost – and it was entirely your fault.
Deri’s only success was in Beit Shemesh – but that may well have been due to voter fraud, which will be investigated.