Shas Official Denies Party Loyalty to Netanyahu, Predicts Electoral Gains
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Former minister Uriel Busso declared that the Shas party is not "Bibi-ists," clarifying their political stance while promising to address the status of Torah scholars. He predicted Shas would win double-digit seats in the upcoming elections and accused left-wing groups of investing heavily in anti-Haredi campaigns. Busso also defended Arie Deri's position on Torah scholars and military conscription, emphasizing Shas's commitment to preserving Israel's Jewish identity.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Shas official Uriel Busso stated the party is not "Bibi-ists," denying blind loyalty to Prime Minister Netanyahu.
- Busso predicted Shas will win a double-digit number of seats in the upcoming elections.
- He accused left-wing groups of investing heavily in anti-Haredi and anti-Shas campaigns.
- Busso defended Arie Deri's stance on Torah scholars and military conscription.
- Shas aims to preserve Israel's Jewish identity, according to Busso.
Former minister Uriel Busso stated that the Shas party is not "Bibi-ists," meaning they are not blindly loyal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He explained the party's political relationship with the Prime Minister while also promising to regulate the status of Torah scholars at the beginning of the next term. Busso expressed confidence that Shas would secure a double-digit number of Knesset seats in the upcoming elections, predicting they would not shrink in size and would exceed their previous results.
Busso also addressed campaigns against the Haredi public, alleging that left-wing groups have invested heavily in activities aimed at demonizing Shas and its representatives. He claimed these groups are spending hundreds of millions on such efforts, particularly since the outbreak of the October 7th war.
Defending Shas leader Arie Deri's remarks on Torah scholars, Busso argued that those who study should be allowed to do so without being labeled criminals, while those who do not study should serve in the military. He suggested that changing the long-standing agreement between the state and the world of Torah would be a significant shift. Busso, who served in the military and has family members in significant service roles, believes the Jewish people wish to maintain this balance.
Busso warned that the right-wing bloc could be harmed by the participation of additional parties in the elections and discussed the Jewish identity of the state. He asserted that Shas actively works to preserve Jewish characteristics in Israel on a daily basis, stating that core issues like "Haredim" and "conscription" are central to their campaign and are often exploited by the left.
