Nothing in Shas is simple and while one might assume the next person on Shas’ election roster will fill the Knesset seat vacated by Aryeh Deri, this is not necessarily the case.
The battle is already in progress among Shas activists as to who will fill Aryeh Deri’s Knesset seat if and when he resigns from Knesset to permit another person from Shas to enter. Deri will continue serving as a cabinet minister, but he will no longer be counted among the 120 Members of Knesset. This is possible by implementing the ‘Norwegian Law’ as it is called in Israel.
It was believed and actually promised that the seat would be given to Avraham Michaeli, but it now appears Deri has other plans for Michaeli. Deri will be appointing him as head of Shas in the Histadrut and responsible for the social welfare portfolio. If this is the case, the next man on the Shas roster is the CEO of Shas’ Mayan Chinuch education network, Chaim Biton, who is likely to pull out of the MK race which will leave Yigal Guata.
It appears Deri wants Guata, but others in Shas do not share his position. He too may be tapped for a party-affiliated appointment outside Knesset, possibly Director-General of the Chief Rabbinate. If this occurs, then Michael Michaeli would be in line for the Knesset seat. He is currently Shas representative in Jerusalem City Hall as well as the bureau chief for Minister of Religious Service David Azoulai of Shas.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
I’m no mavin in politics, but if Deri is talking of giving up his seat less than a year into the current Knesset term, what was the point of the election fight with Eli Yishai?