Oded Ben Ami rebukes Aryeh Deri over his grandsons' draft evasion

In a sharp opening monologue on Channel 12’s “Six with,” veteran host Oded Ben Ami lashed out at Shas chairman Aryeh Deri after learning that three of Deri’s grandsons are draft evaders from the IDF. Ben Ami said he had approached Deri for a response, but was met with eye-rolling and a remark that he regrets the arrest of yeshiva students and is proud of his grandsons.

The commentary argued that the issue is not only Deri’s stance on military service, but also his position inside government. Although he is barred by law from serving as a minister, Deri is a cabinet member and takes part in decisions affecting military operations. Ben Ami said it is intolerable that someone who helps decide life-and-death matters for other families can express pride in relatives avoiding service.

Ben Ami accused Deri of hypocrisy, saying he often talks about unity and reconciliation while benefiting politically from the state and seeking power within it. He also noted that Shas has long presented itself as a party that speaks to a wider, mostly Sephardi and traditional public, including people who work and serve in the army, not only a separatist ultra-Orthodox base.

The host ended by confronting Deri directly with the line, “How are you not ashamed?” and suggested that the public shaming may even help Deri rally his ultra-Orthodox base, some of whom have grown critical of him over the draft issue. Ben Ami’s central message was that Deri sends other people’s children into danger while his own grandchildren evade service.