Shas Party Faces Internal Rift Over Leadership Dispute

A significant internal dispute within the ultra-Orthodox Shas party has been revealed, stemming from a power struggle between Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the spiritual leader, and political leader Aryeh Deri. While a reconciliation was announced about two weeks ago, it has now emerged that the underlying fear within Shas was that Rabbi Yosef might issue a directive against voting for the party in the upcoming elections.

The conflict reportedly ended when Deri visited Rabbi Yosef's home, presenting a letter from Rabbi Moshe Maya, a senior member of the Council of Torah Sages. According to Deri, Rabbi Maya's letter urged Rabbi Yosef to follow in his father's footsteps and lead Shas. Following this meeting, Rabbi Yosef's household issued a statement and documentation announcing his appointment as the leader of the Shas movement.

However, recordings obtained by i24NEWS suggest a deeper division. Rabbi Maya, in a recent address to his students, clarified the situation, stating that the "coronation" was not officially sanctioned by Shas. He explained that Rabbi Yosef's followers orchestrated the public announcement to prevent him from potentially instructing people not to vote for the party, a scenario considered a major crisis for Shas.

Rabbi Maya further revealed that he did not write the letter as claimed by Deri, but rather that Rabbi Yosef's students drafted it. He stated he removed certain phrases from their draft, specifically those implying Rabbi Yosef had accepted the leadership, before they published it. "I deleted two sentences," he said.

Despite the internal turmoil, Rabbi Yosef participated in a Shas election conference, delivering a statement aimed at rallying the party's base. "Even if there are complaints, Shas is a home, and a home is not abandoned," he declared. This statement is seen as crucial for Deri and Shas, who are facing challenges in connecting with their voter base, especially after Rabbi Yosef had previously criticized aspects of the conscription law and Deri himself.