Persons close to Aryeh Deri have leaked information to the press that he is actively working to launch his new political party after it became clear he will not unseat Shas leader Eli Yishai. After getting up from shiva last week for his father z”l, Deri began actively working to set up the new entity in time to compete in the next general elections, which appears will take place on 17 Elul 5772.
It appears that Deri is backed by rabbonim and he is confident, backed by polls which indicate he will earn three seats in the next Knesset. Nevertheless, having the backing of Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita would be a big boost, but it appears such a move is unlikely.
In an interview on Thursday, Shas leader Eli Yishai stated he did not believe that Deri would launch an independent party since he would not act contrary to the wishes of the rav.
According to a report filed by Yaakov Rivlin in the weekly BaKehilla, the name of Deri’s new party will be Kavod U’Mesoret (Honor & Tradition). It appears the party has already been registered with the Central Election Committee.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
democracy at its best
לבקשת אימו של אריה דרעי ולפי הוראת רבותיו אריה דרעי לא יעסוק בכל הקשור לפוליטיקה עד לסיום 30 ימי האבל על אביו.
I think this new party will be great for Klal Yisrael. Rav Deri is a huge supporter of Torah and will be able to deal with certain issues facing the Torah world that in all honesty, all the other frum factions just don’t have the talent to. When Rav Shach originally helped formed Shas years ago and put Rav Deri in charge, one of its main objectives was to unite all Sephardim frum and secular alike. Shas just isn’t able to do that anymore. Rav Deri can….
As long as both parties clear the 2% minimum, it is advantageous to have multiple parties if one (Deri’s) can attract voters that the combined party (Shas) might not. The danger occurs, as is a problem for the Religious Zionist parties, that as a result of splits both parties will fall below the 2% minimum in which case the votes are thrown out.
Since Shas joined the zionist organization it ceased being a Chareidi Party.
If Arye Deri, who was a confidente of Rav Schach, does not follow suit, Hatzlocho Rabboh.
1) #5 Joining their “Kneset” is collaborating with Zionism.
2) He’s not a Rabbinic figure himself. He is not really following any Rabbinic authority. He is just another…Politician. It does not matter how smooth talented or charismatic he may be as a politician. He does not live up to what is called “oskim btzorchei tzibur be’emuna”. There is no good in giving these type of people any leadership. Those are the type of leaders we get when we let ourselves get caught up in the affairs of the Zionist state.
Horav Ovadia is מרא דארעא ישראל. How can he oppose his wishes? Now, if you don’t understand what I am saying, that is like a Litvak opposing the חפץ חיים, חזון איש and רב שך all at once. At the end of the day, I don’t expect that he will run. You heard it here first.
Deri’s new party will be taking votes from United Torah & decreasing their MKs.
Shas is a party for traditional Likud members and the masses of Sefradim who are followers of Chacham Yosef. There is no way that Reb Ovadia will give his blessings to a new party that is in direct competition.