Ex-Shas Lawmaker Vows Not to Vote for Party for First Time
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
Former Shas party Knesset member Yigal Guetta declared he will not vote for the party in the upcoming elections, a first for him in many years. Guetta criticized Shas for failing to capitalize on a growing religious public, arguing they are missing out on potential mandates. He believes the party should be polling higher, especially given increased religious observance post-October 7th. Guetta stated that despite previously believing Shas could reform, he has now lost faith and will not vote for them.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Former Shas MK Yigal Guetta will not vote for the party in upcoming elections.
- Guetta believes Shas is failing to attract a growing religiously observant young public.
- He argues Shas should be polling 13-14 mandates, not 9-10.
- Guetta cited increased public religiosity since October 7th as a missed opportunity for Shas.
- This marks the first time Guetta has decided not to vote for Shas in years.
Former Knesset member Yigal Guetta, who previously represented the Shas party, announced on 103fm radio that he will not vote for his former party in the upcoming elections, stating it's the first time in many years he's made such a decision. Guetta discussed Shas's potential to surprise in polls, but argued that the expected results are far from an achievement. He explained that polling Shas is always problematic, and while the party currently holds 11 seats in the government, it should be growing by at least two mandates, especially as the public has become more religious since October 7th.
Guetta elaborated on what he sees as a missed opportunity for Shas, pointing to tens of thousands of young people becoming more connected to Judaism and commandments, yet this is not reflected in Shas's poll numbers. He believes that even if Shas secures 9 or 10 seats, it would be a complete failure, as they should easily reach 13 or 14 mandates. He asserted that the younger, more religious public is not gravitating towards Shas but to other places, representing a significant miss for the party this term.
Reflecting on his personal stance, Guetta shared that he believed Shas could reform itself for nearly nine years after leaving the Knesset and had voted for the party until the previous term. However, when asked directly if he would vote for Shas this time, Guetta responded unequivocally, "I will not vote for Shas, definitely not."
The same event, reported separately by each outlet. Open a few to compare what different newsrooms emphasize — and what they leave out.
Centre 1Right 1
