It would appear that Shas leader Eli Yishai has had enough of the insults. He came out in a scathing attack against Kadima leader Tzipi Livni and senior party officials, labeling them “racist” for their derogatory remarks that “Shas tried to extort a deal” in coalition negotiations.

Yishai questions why the word “extortion” is not used in reference to the Labor Party, who did indeed sign a coalition deal, but not before receiving commitments amounting to NIS 1.5 billion.

In his remarks during a session of the Shas faction on Monday he stated, “regarding Shas, the Sephardim, they can speak this way… it appears extortionists have a certain look, with beards… the more that defame us the stronger we will become.”

In Yated Neeman, affiliated with Degel HaTorah, the newspaper warns the Livni campaign will undoubtedly refer to the “extortion of Shas” and this was the launching of her election campaign, quoting Livni as stating, “They will not succeed in extorting me.”

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)