After Degel Hatorah signed an agreement and entered the coalition government headed by Beit Shemesh Mayor Aliza Bloch, receiving many positions of power in the deal, Shas party chairman Minister Aryeh Deri on Sunday spoke out harshly against Degel Hatorah for “betraying Shas”. The deal has basically signed Shas’ fate, to remain in opposition, while Degel, which partnered with Shas in the recent municipal elections, moved ahead and cut a deal with Bloch to the exclusion of Shas.

“The Shas movement views the conduct of Degel Hatorah in Beit Shemesh with great severity, conduct which blatantly violated our agreements with us and covertly conducted negotiations to enter the Bloch coalition, despite all the opposition it ostensibly expressed,” the Shas statement said.

Deri stressed that: “It should be clarified that during the last period, Shas was offered all the positions offered to Degel Hatorah and even more so, but in light of Degel Hatorah’s request, which was explained by the religious issues, Shas rejected the proposals and remained faithful to the cooperation agreement. Even when there were rumors that Degel Hatorah were negotiating behind our backs, they made sure to deny them.

“This week it turned out that there were truths in the rumors, and Degel HaTorah was double-sided, and [Degel] betrayed the trust we gave. In fact, this serious act will have ramifications in the future.”

Deri’s sharp announcement comes in the background of the decision by the head of the Moetzas Chachmei HaTorah Chacham Shalom Cohen Shlita, that Shas will run the upcoming elections as an independent Sephardi faction without unification with Yahadut Hatorah.

“The uniqueness of the Shas movement, which was established at the outset to restore the glory of the Sephardic public and the connection between the Torah and the people of Israel, is the only way we will continue, Shas will continue to take an independent path for the Sephardi public, as it was from the day it was founded,” the statement read.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)