Panels Politics conducted a poll to determine just how popular Am Shalem party leader Rabbi Chaim Amsellem is among voters. According to Dr. Menachem Lazar, who supervised the poll, 51% of the tzibur feels there is room for Amsellem to run as an independent party. 38% are not certain there is a place for an independent party headed by the former Shas MK. However, respondents who believe Amsellem should fun feel recent events in Shas will result in some voters shifting to Rav Amsellem.
Am Shalem officials responded to the poll stating “we are not surprised. In recent years, particularly of late, more and more voters feel they can identify with our platform and the principles of the party…”
Officials in Rav Amsellem’s office added “One does not have to read the result of the poll to realize the people want him to run on an independent list to enable him to fight for his values. We are weighing our options in the coming days vis-à-vis our political future.
Dr. Lazar concludes Amsellem should sit tight and see how Shas voters react and where they turn before deciding to run independently.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
Someone is having a laugh, Rabbi Chaim Amsellem had zero pull on Shas voters last time, and even with the infighting the majority not far of 2/3 of Shas voters have indicated they will stay put. And the rest have shown no interest in him before or since.
There is a big difference between a poll saying he should run and getting votes. If the Rabbi wishes to believe the polls indicate a demand for him, he should run, wherever he gets his votes from it won’t be from Shas.
Best bet for him if to see if Kahlon welcomes him, he may fit well there.
It would better suit Rabbi Chaim Amsellem to sit this voting period out and let those that are already established get voted in. He is but a fringe element line Amnon Yitzchok where all they will do is take votes away from more worthy people that can do more good if they were in office. Amnon Yitzchock should return to his position of mikarayv people and leave the politics to the politicians. Rav Amsellem was let go from Shas as it was a firm request from Chacham Ovaida as certain things that were done were not with the Chacham’s approval.
Mr. Amsellem disgraced himself in the last election when he announced he supports bus service to run on Shabbos in Tel Aviv, to maintain the “status quo”, in pandering to irreligious voters. And he has otherwise spit in the face of Maran Chacaham Ovadia Yosef, who put the previously little known Mr. Amsellem on the map by appointing him to a Shas MK slot that he later disgraced by going against Maran who is the Moreh D’Asra of Shas by running against them after having defied Maran’s instructions on other matters.
He has less chance of getting enough votes to enter the Kenesset than the last election he lost and was utterly wiped off the electoral map.
That is a silly question to ask since under proportional representation, anyone who is ideologically opposed to a candidate or movement, wants additional parties of the ideology they hate so they will fall under the threshold and waste votes. Given that he couldn’t even pass the threshold last election, he isn’t in very good position this time.
Amsellem can join yishai’s party with chelton and feiglin can also join and then we can call it the losers party.