It appears that supporters of former Shas Minister Rav Shlomo Benizri have exhausted all avenues of appeal and the former senior party official will begin serving his four-year jail term before Rosh Hashanah.

Supporters of Benizri fought to have the sentence postponed for a number of weeks, until after Simchas Torah, to permit him to spend the yomim tovim with family, including an elderly mother. He also told the court that he wished to take part in the celebration of the birth of two grandchildren, expected in the coming weeks.

A panel of High Court justices rejected a final appeal to postpone reporting to prison until October 18th, instructing the former cabinet minister to report to prison on September 1st. The court explained that Benizri was given a number of months to prepare and there is no justification for additional delays.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)