Meeting for the first time since the general election, the Shas faction in the 19th Knesset convened in the party’s campaign headquarters in the Har Chotzvim area of the capital.
Aryeh Deri told his colleagues that while they managed to remain at 11 seats, the votes that were wasted, the votes that went to Koach L’Hashpiah and Am Shalem could have netted Shas three additional seats. “They caused the damage for what may occur as a result of losing those seats, Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak and Rabbi Chaim Amsellem” Deri is quoted as saying.
Deri warned that a coalition without chareidim could have a devastating impact, leading to a state of Tel Aviv and those who do not include development and lower income communities. He warned that a chareidi-free coalition would undoubtedly advance the agenda of the share the burden proponents. Deri told the press that if need be, Shas has no problem joining the opposition.
Yisrael Atias stated that nothing the government will do can compel chareidim to serve in the IDF against their will. The media then left and the forum continued in private session.
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5 Responses
It is amazing how NOBODY and NO PARTY talked about Hashem before the election and after the election.
Hashem does everything and Hashem only does good.
Incorrect. You lost seats to them because YOU (and your leaders) refused to meet with them and defuse the situation before it got out of hand! You only fanned the flames of dissension with your flammitory statements and your immature accustions! You turned your Party into a negative, complaining, accusing bunch, with no positive reason to vote for you!(Sounded like the Obama Admin) I hate to say it, but without you, R Deri, the Party would of gotten at least one more seat.
Maybe Deri should step back and read the results of the few exit polls that included responses from his own sehpardishe constitutents. Those who voted for non-Shas parties indicated they were turned off by the caustic and threatening rhetoric of rav yosef who threatend divine retribution for those who voted for any of the other religious parties and its failure to address many of the broader problems facing the medinah. The concept of a new coalition without MKs who run to their rebbe to tell them how to vote on every issue and make those decisions from a totally parochial perspective is a refreshing idea.
Deri and Yosef can “spin” the results all they want but this election was hopefully a turning point for Isreaeli politics and the stranglehold of the chareidi parties on the Israeli political system.
Can Mr Deri explain what’s the purpose of press conferences like this?
His party won, the others lost. Continuing the machlokes in public serves what end?
Very telling that the press left after the machlokes fodder. Apparently they have no interest in Shas policies that effect the general public
Having Deri, a convicted embezzler, who spent many long months sitting and learning in Yeshivas Maasiyahu, was what killed off any support for his party.
What point was served, and what advantage was gained, by Deri’s public accusations? Surely he realized that some things are best said (if they had to be said at all) behind closed doors?