Aryeh Deri: The Indispensable Leader of Israel's Shas Party
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
Aryeh Deri, leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, has navigated a complex political career marked by corruption convictions and significant influence. Despite legal troubles and forced resignations from ministerial posts, Deri remains a key negotiator in Israeli coalition politics, advocating for his community's interests. Ahead of the October 2026 elections, he is demanding legislative guarantees on military exemptions for yeshiva students, impacting potential government formations.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Aryeh Deri, leader of the Shas party, is a pivotal, albeit controversial, figure in Israeli coalition politics.
- Deri has faced multiple convictions for corruption and tax offenses, impacting his official roles.
- Shas is demanding legislative guarantees on military exemptions for yeshiva students before the October 2026 elections.
- The party's stance on exemptions has led to ministerial resignations and public controversy.
- Deri's negotiating power is crucial for forming future Israeli governments.
Aryeh Deri, born in Morocco in 1959 and brought to Israel at age nine, has become a central figure in Israeli politics as the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party. Founded in 1984 to represent marginalized North African and Middle Eastern Jews, Shas, under Deri's guidance, transformed into a key coalition partner, capable of forming and breaking governments. Deri himself became Israel's youngest Interior Minister in 1988 at age 29.
His political career has been marked by legal challenges. Convicted of corruption in 1999, he served nearly two years in prison. After returning to lead Shas in 2013, he regained influence but faced another conviction for tax offenses in 2022. This led to his appointment as Interior and Health Minister in Benjamin Netanyahu's government, a role the Supreme Court deemed illegal in January 2023, forcing his resignation.
Despite these setbacks, Deri maintains significant behind-the-scenes influence, advocating for the ultra-Orthodox community's interests, including funding for religious institutions, support for large families, and military exemptions for yeshiva students. This last point has become increasingly contentious amid public resentment over Haredi privileges during wartime.
In July 2025, Shas ministers reportedly left the government to protest the lack of legislation protecting these exemptions. As the October 2026 elections approach, Deri is demanding legislative guarantees on religious students' status as a condition for Shas's support. While an alliance with Netanyahu remains preferred, Shas is exploring other political configurations, aiming to leverage its eleven seats from the 2022 election to preserve Deri's negotiating power.
