Israel's Attorney General Postpones Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Memorial Event Due to Election Proximity

Israel's Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, has decided to postpone a state-sponsored memorial event for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the Shas party, until after the upcoming elections. The decision, announced on Wednesday, stems from concerns that the event, scheduled to commemorate the anniversary of Rabbi Yosef's passing on October 14, could be exploited for election campaigning by the Shas party, utilizing state resources.

The Attorney General emphasized that while there is no dispute regarding the importance of commemorating Rabbi Yosef, the planned gathering's political nature, separate from a simple memorial, necessitates its delay. The elections are scheduled for October 27, just two weeks after the anniversary.

This ruling follows a 2025 law passed by the Knesset that mandates state institutions to hold events honoring Rabbi Yosef's legacy. Shas party officials reacted angrily to the decision, criticizing the Attorney General and contrasting the postponement of Rabbi Yosef's memorial with the lack of similar restrictions on a memorial event for assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, which they claim is permitted despite its proximity to the elections.

Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the newly appointed spiritual leader of Shas, vehemently attacked Attorney General Baharav-Miara during his weekly sermon on Saturday. He referred to her as "wicked" and "crazy," questioning her authority and invoking divine retribution. He argued that the memorial should proceed as befits Rabbi Yosef's stature, citing the massive public attendance at his funeral. He further accused the Attorney General of bias, suggesting the prohibition is applied selectively against Rabbi Yosef's memorial while allowing Rabin's, which he associated with the left-wing political bloc.