Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired a key Cabinet ally on Sunday, heeding a Supreme Court ruling commanding him to do so and deepening a rift over the power of the courts.
Netanyahu announced he was firing Aryeh Deri, who serves as Interior and Health Minister, at a meeting of his Cabinet. Israel’s Supreme Court decided last week Deri could not serve as a Cabinet minister because of a conviction last year over tax offenses.
According to his office, Netanyahu told Deri he was removing him from his post with “a heavy heart and great sorrow.”
“This unfortunate decision ignores the people’s will,” Netanyahu told Deri. “I intend to find any legal way for you to continue to contribute to the state of Israel.”
Deri said he would continue to lead his party and assist the government in advancing its agenda, including the legal overhaul.
Deri’s firing is also expected to shake Netanyahu’s governing coalition, including Deri’s Shas, which is the third largest party in the government. While some Shas lawmakers threatened to bolt the fledgling coalition in the aftermath of the court ruling, it is expected to survive Deri’s absence and to attempt to craft legislation that would pave the way for his swift return.
Netanyahu is now expected to appoint other Shas members to replace Deri, at least temporarily.
(AP)
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10 Responses
May these wicked and insolent people from the Israeli supreme court rot forever and ever in the purgatory of the ‘kaf hakelah’
“I intend to find any legal way for you to continue to contribute to the state of Israel.” – how about sending him back to prison?!
Moeisrael: And may those who extend their best wishes for the judiciary share in the same outcomes they aspire for others.
Real question is given the multiple number of really smart, dynamic and HONEST young leaders in in the Sephardic community and within Shas, why Yosef continues to promote a twice convicted political felon and political hack to leadership positions??
@Yossi Name Edited Are you saying he is still committing crimes? Were you there? Are you a witness? Who else witnessed the crime? Are you and your other witness friend shomer shabbat u’mitzvot? Did you warn him about the crime and the punishment? What exactly did you tell him and why didn’t you bring the evidence to a bais Din? Otherwise is like me saying you should be jailed because you are a pedophile
Deri’s a bum! A shanda that the chareidim defend him! Is that the best they can come up with?
He promised to stay out of politics.
He’s a convicted thief multiple times is someone the frum are proud to have represent them. Wow such a chilul Hashem! Have the Rabbonim no self respect! A Busha!
Attn: Gadol Hatorah there is no reason to defend liberal athiest jews who represent everything that the torah is against. The only reason for you to feel a need to defend them and attack an observant jew is if you are yourself an assimilated jew and a complete ignoramus yourself. Don’t forget that Chazal dictate that
כל שבידו למחות ואינו מוחה הוא נמנה עמהם.
You need to understand that it is very much not cool to defend biologically jewish reshaim on a frum chareidi website to do so is akin to a pronouncement that you do not have strict alliegance to true torah ideals and it shows a kinship to jewish reshaim very not cool, next time you should do this on a leftist liberal secular site and you will be lauded as a hero.
Moe: The only “biologically Jewish rasha” here is Deri. Even Bibi, who is not a big fan of this court concluded this was a legitimate order that he “sadly” was obliged to follow. Perhaps its time for R’ Yosef and the Shas leadership to stop sending this felon back to the Knesset and put forward someone with some moral creds.
P.S. I’m impressed with your hyperbole
I am willing to bet you 100 million dollars and I am willing to go with you to a psychologist and I will pay for all those sessions and you will hear with your two ears, that the real truth is that you are jealous of Mr. Deri and that is the real true reason why you are knocking him.
@gadolhadora look at you lol siding with wicked liberal atheist ppl oh, literally stand for everything against our Torah, and you condemn religious Talmud chacham he devotes his life to promoting torah and mitzvos and endorsed by gedoley hador! You sound like a child no more than 20 years old.god have mercy on your soul….. I love how you talk convicted felon as if you saw all the evidence and you’re sure that he is guilty, nonetheless steals a lot more than you and me ….
Just out of curiosity, did he steal more times than you ?are you more honest than him just wondering?