“Amnon Yitzchak and Chaim Amsellem are not harming us. They don’t even represent a slight bump on the arm”, stated Shas’ Aryeh Deri on Wednesday morning 13 Teves 5773 in a Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) interview with Razi Barkai. Deri explained recent polls place Shas at 13 seats, and he remains confident the party will climb to 15-16 seats, “and I say this with total confidence” he concluded.
Deri was asked to comment on rumors that a harshly worded letter is being signed by prominent rabbonim against Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak, and it will soon be released to the public. “He crossed a line and was most disrespectful to Rav Ovadia. This is a private matter”, Deri explained, preferring not to get into more detail in the secular media.
When asked about recent statements that Likud plans to keep the housing portfolio now in Shas’ hands, he stated “Our position is well known. We will recommend Netanyahu for the presidential mandate to form a coalition. The one putting him in the position is [Labor Party leader] Shelly Yacimovich, [Yesh Atid leader] Yair Lapid and [The Movement leader] Tzipi Livni. We however continue telling the weaker [economic] class that Shas is your home, not Likud.”
Regarding Housing Minister Ariel Atias, Deri adds “He suffers from criticism by chareidim too, who accuse him of failing to build enough for them. After elections we will enter into negotiations. We will see. We have not forgotten this office yet.”
Deri concluded by pointing out “all the cuts over the past 15 years have been from the beis medrash of Binyamin Netanyahu”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
Still hard to believe that a country allows a convicted felon to be a chaver knesset. Maybe all you anti-medina guys are right. It’s a crazy country.
Deri concluded by pointing out “all the cuts over the past 15 years have been from the beis medrash of Binyamin Netanyahu”.
Of course, Bibi sees a whole picture with restraint, fiscial knowledge and a reduction of Social Services (sort of Republican thinking) with his years of training, academic education and experiences. Shas is a liberal social coffeer with large expenditures. Deri hasn’t hit on the point that some of his security actions are pacifist in nature and his voters are a majority of right-wingers.