Shas Party Crisis Averted as Rabbi Yitzhak Yossef Reportedly Agrees to Support Party

A significant internal crisis within the Shas party, pitting Rabbi Yitzhak Yossef against party chairman Aryeh Deri, was reportedly resolved approximately two weeks ago. The resolution came amid fears that Rabbi Yossef, son of the party's founder, might publicly call for a boycott of Shas in the upcoming elections. Recordings obtained by i24NEWS suggest this concern was a key factor in the reconciliation.

For months, Rabbi Yossef, a prominent figure in Shas's spiritual leadership, had experienced strained relations with Deri, particularly concerning the ultra-Orthodox conscription law and the party's political direction. To mend the rift, Deri visited Rabbi Yossef's home with a letter attributed to Rabbi Moshe Maya, dean of the Council of Torah Sages.

Deri claimed the letter urged Yitzhak Yossef to continue his father's legacy and assume spiritual leadership of Shas. However, remarks by Rabbi Maya, reported by i24NEWS in Hebrew, offered a different account. Rabbi Maya stated the primary goal of the initiative was to prevent Rabbi Yossef from instructing his followers not to support Shas at the ballot box.

"They organized this coronation so he wouldn't say not to vote Shas. That's the whole story," Rabbi Maya reportedly said in the recordings. He also claimed he did not personally draft the letter and that several passages implying Yitzhak Yossef was officially taking over the party's spiritual leadership were removed.

Shortly after the reconciliation, Rabbi Yitzhak Yossef attended his first Shas election rally, delivering a message aimed at reassuring disillusioned voters. "Even if there are criticisms, Shas is a home, and one does not leave one's home," he stated, a declaration crucial for the party leadership facing electoral tensions.