PHOTOS: Deri Participates In Launching Shas HQ In Jerusalem Municipal Elections

(PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

Shas chairman, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri on Tuesday, 10 Elul, took part in the official opening of party headquarters in Jerusalem ahead of municipal elections. Deri optimistically commented, “B’ezras Hashem, we will be the largest faction”.

“Our goal is to be the largest faction in the city,” Deri declared at the opening of the movement’s election headquarters in the city. The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister Nahari, MK Margi, MK Malchieli, the faction chairman in Jerusalem, Tzvika Cohen, the director-general Chaim Biton, and members of the Shas Council.

At the start of his speech, Minister Deri said that Shas’ focus in the city was investing in education, building schools and bringing a budget of NIS 1 billion for the construction of new classrooms. “We did not dream of such a sum, but it’s not a joke. This is already done by the municipality and will bring solutions to many schools. This is our crowning glory. Education, Education and Education.”

Minister Deri continued: “I want to reduce all tensions and declare: a successful team does not change. Our team headed by Rabbi Tzvika Cohen – all of them without exception – will continue in the council. Our mission is to introduce new members. Not in place of but in addition to.”

“Our goal is to be the largest faction in Jerusalem. This is an achievable goal. Everyone saw what we had done for five years and knew that Shas was the true home of all Sephardim. No one would imagine what would happen if, chas v’sholom, Shas would weaken. Think about what happened in the last five years and what’s going to happen. Think who will be the address of the girls regarding their registration. Who will do all the great activity for the yeshiva students and the women’s cultural activity.”

Regarding Shas’ support for the mayoral candidate, Minister Deri said, “We want the candidate whom the chareidi public supports to win. That’s where we’re aiming. And when we reach this conclusion everyone will know who he is. We want to rally as much as possible around this candidate. A city like Jerusalem with such a large and diverse chareidi public, that the candidate they support should not win?”