Former Shas leader R’ Aryeh Deri has grabbed front page headlines for a second time this week with the media anticipating the former senior minister’s return to the political arena.
Kikar Shabbos quotes R’ Deri as labeling the Shas Party today as “petty”, adding he has told close associates “I do not need any favors from Shas or [Foreign Minister Avigdor] Lieberman. I am fed up with the petty behavior of the Shasniks. I am seeking the support of the people and that is enough”.
The reports do not quote Deri as giving a date for his expected return, but speculation points to the period following the Tishrei yomim tovim. Some reports indicate Deri is planning to form a people’s party, one that will attract voters who are looking for a new hope, seriously seeking to make a bid for the premiership. One of the names being considered for the party is Neshama.
Yediot quotes Deri advisors as telling the former party leader to distance himself from Shas, not to limit himself but to shoot for the sky, for the premiership. They are aware when Deri was compelled to leave the political arena, he enjoyed widespread support among Ashkenazim and Sephardim alike, both in the frum and secular camps.
In the meantime, Shas leader Eli Yishai seeks to exhibit a calm external air but persons close to the Shas inner circle speak of concern and turmoil as Yishai monitors his predecessor’s actions.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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2 Responses
Go deri go!!!! Nothing less than 30+ seats in next…………….go…go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#2- Deri’s philosophy would require a core of 40-60 seats. If his movement started to gain, it would probably absorb the various hareidi and religious parties. We aren’t talking about a place at the table, we are talking about the head of the table, and ownership of the table.
To win he has to come up with a viable foreign policy that results in a meaningful peace (not far fetched, frum people can make many concessions that the secular parties can’t, such as agreeing to give up on western secularism and being a traditionally oriented middle eastern country in which Islamic tradition is respected).
The other religious parties are focused on survival. Deri is probably looking for what amounts to a total revolution. It is probably a generation too early, which is good for Deri. The last time a frum Jew threated the secular control of Eretz Yisrael, it was Jacob Israel De Haan, and frankly, if Deri was close to taking over, he’ld probably have the same sort of reaction from the seculars.