In the last election campaign, shortly after the embarrassing video was released in which HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L had less than favorable words for Aryeh Deri, Deri announced he was stepping down from the Shas leadership position.

A number of days later, a massive campaign was launched to bring Deri back to continue leading Shas. On Monday morning 15 Menachem Av, it became apparent that the campaign was launched and orchestrated by none other than Deri himself.

According to the Yisrael Hayom newspaper report, on the same day Deri announced to the Moetzas Gedolei Yisrael that he was stepping down, he ordered his then right-hand man Benny Elbaz to call on him in the media to return.

It was in the heart of the election campaign for Knesset when Channel 2 aired a video that dated back to 2008 in which Rav Ovadia passed harsh criticism on Deri, who he labeled a “rosha” and “thief”, warning the members of his household and stating he does not plan to replace Eli Yishai with him (Deri) as the hiatus period from the moral turpitude attached to his criminal conviction expired, clearing the way for him to return to politics.

Deri informed HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen Shlita of his decision to step down and by that very same afternoon, the major campaign calling on Deri to return was launched. Some two weeks later, on 12 January 2015, Deri humbly returns and accepts the will of the people and the dictate of the Moetzas Gedolei Torah, to assume the head of the party once again.

It has now been revealed that on that day, Elbaz, who was on the way to an interview in the Channel 10 News studio, spoke with Deri and asked which direction to take the interview. Deri told him “To cry and arouse the tzibur. You know it’s the end. Aryeh is strong but does not want to harm Maran” he is quoted saying. A minute later, Elbaz added, “We will not let him go” and the campaign was underway.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)