Aryeh Deri Convenes Shas Sages to Finalize Knesset Election List
Shas leader Aryeh Deri convenes the Council of Torah Sages to finalize the Knesset election list amid lawmaker anxiety. Minister Yoav Ben-Tzur insists a military draft law must pass before any future government is formed.
The chairman of the Shas party, Aryeh Deri, is convening the Council of Torah Sages at the party's headquarters in Har Hotzvim, Jerusalem, to discuss the composition of the party's list for the upcoming Knesset elections.
Last week, Aryeh Deri stated in an interview with the "Kol BaRama" radio station:
"For us in Shas, the criterion for serving as a Member of Knesset is effort and hard work on behalf of the public. With God's help, ahead of submitting the lists, the Council of Torah Sages will convene and discuss changes to the list. Will there be surprises? I think so."
Concerns of Incumbents and New Faces
Some of the sitting MKs are concerned about being surprised. Minister of Labor Yoav Ben-Tzur and former Deputy Minister Moshe Abutbul held talks with some of the rabbis to clarify their standing, fearing they might be ousted. However, the rabbis are expected to approve a list that is overall similar to the currently serving one. During the meeting, Aryeh Deri will present various frameworks for the list with the changes he has considered, and the rabbis are expected to approve the final party list at the end.
Meanwhile, in the Degel HaTorah party, following the storm surrounding the removal of veteran MKs Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev, a new list of candidates is emerging. Following veterans Yaakov Asher and Yitzhak Pindrus, new names expected to take center stage include the head of the education administration in the Bnei Brak municipality, Rabbi Moshe Rosenthal, the chairman of the Yeshiva Students Association Yehuda Weisfish, and the deputy mayor of Beitar Illit, Dudi Zalz.
The Draft Law Ultimatum
Two weeks ago, Yoav Ben-Tzur stated in an interview with ynet:
"If we need to enter a coalition, a draft law will pass before the government is established. Unequivocally, this is agreed upon by everyone and that is how it will be."
In response, Likud spokesperson Guy Levy told "Kol BaRama":
"We highly hope to legislate the draft law even before the establishment of the government, as part of the coalition agreements. This is definitely the direction."
According to Yoav Ben-Tzur, Shas made a mistake in 2022 by not signing a coalition agreement stating that, before anything else, the government would pass a draft exemption law. "If we had done that before the judicial reform, everything would have been sorted out and there would have been no problem for anyone."
