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Shas rabbis reject Deri resignation offer following video leak
Aryeh Deri, leader of the Sephardi ultra-Orthodox Shas party, surprisingly tendered his resignation last night, but the offer was swiftly rejected by the party’s rabbinical leadership.
Yesterday’s developments came against the backdrop of a bitter feud between Deri and former-Shas leader Eli Yishai. With the dispute unresolved, Yishai left Shas and established his own rival party two weeks ago. On Sunday, a video tape from 2008 was leaked which shows the party’s revered spiritual guide Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who died last year, criticising and denigrating Deri. The use and manipulation of Rabbi Yosef’s memory is considered a grave step within Shas circles. Although he denies any responsibility, the leaked tape is thought to have come from Yishai.
In his resignation letter yesterday, which was published by Channel Ten, Deri told the party’s Council of Torah Sages, “The heart is torn in light of the terrible desecration of God’s name, the contempt for the Torah and the insult to our teacher’s [Rabbi Yosef’s] honour.” Deri declared, “I can no longer live with the feeling that because of me there are disputes and fighting.”
However, the Council of Torah Sages quickly released its own statement saying it “firmly rejects the party chairman’s request to resign his position and affirms that he has been serving successfully and faithfully.” They added, “We stand behind him firmly, and decree that he remain in his post.” Deri is set to meet with the party’s leading rabbis today.
Although most commentators agree that Deri’s resignation is little more than a symbolic move to secure the clear backing of the Shas religious leadership, the affair reflects a growing sense of uncertainty in the party. Some polls have indicated that Shas is losing support to Yishai’s new party, while its non-ultra-Orthodox voters could also reconsider their support.
If however, one of the parties falls below the 3.25 per cent electoral threshold, the overall strength of the ultra-Orthodox representation in the Knesset will be significantly diminished. Shas has often held the balance of power within coalition governments and held as many as 17 seats at the height of its power in 1999.