The Jerusalem District Court on Sunday sentenced Shas Party MK Shlomo Benizri to 18 months in prison following his recent conviction on fraud and bribery charges. He was also fined NIS 80,000 and hit with a moral turpitude clause which will compel him to bring his public service life to an end, at least for seven years. He will be replaced in Knesset by Mazor Bahaineh, a representative of the Ethiopian community. Officials in Benizri’s office late Sunday afternoon however released a statement that he will continue serving as an MK pending an appeal.

(Rabbi Bahaineh serves as the rav of Beersheva’s Ethiopian Jewish community, having moved to Israel at the age of 11, in 1982).

Co-defendant in the case, Rabbi Reuven Elbaz, received an 8-month probationary sentence and a NIS 120,000 fine.

While exhibiting difficulty getting the words out following the sentencing, Benizri maintained his innocence and his attorney stated an appeal will be filed with the High Court of Justice.

The prosecution, seeking a seven-year prison term, stated the decision will be reviewed and then a decision will be made regarding a possible appeal by the state seeking a harsher sentence.

Since Shas was founded in 1994, seven of approximately 31 MKs were convicted by a court, including Yair Levy, Yair Peretz, Shlomo Dayan, Yair Pinchasi, Yair Deri, Ofir Chugi, and Shlomo Benizri.

Opponents of Shas state the Sephardic chareidi party is corrupt while supporters insist the alarming numbers serve as testimony that political opponents are targeting the party which represents a growing political threat to them.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)