The Director-General of the Shas party, Chaim Biton, was informed that he may be a candidate for the party’s lineup to enter the 21st Knesset. When this became a reality, Biton told party chairman Aryeh Deri that he does not wish to be on the list as he does not wish to abandon his post to enter Knesset. He prefers to continue running the party as well as serving as the head of the Shas-affiliated Mayan HaChinuch Bnei Yosef education network.

Biton announced on Wednesday, February 20, 2019, that after consulting with HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen Shlita, head of the Shas Moetzas Gedolei Torah, as well as council member HaGaon HaRav Shimon Ba’adani Shlita and Aryeh Deri, and in response to the many calls to remain in his post from schools affiliated with the Bnei Yosef network, that he has decided to pass on the opportunity to enter Knesset.

According to a BeChadrei Chareidim report, after Biton’s refusal, Shas is weighing other names for its list, including Oriel Boso, Avi Amsalem, Moshe Abutbul, Tzvika Cohen, Natan Elchanan and Moshe Arbel.

The party’s Torah Council is scheduled to convene on Wednesday evening to finalize the lineup for the upcoming elections for 21st Knesset, which are scheduled to take place on April 9, 2019.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)