Top Rabbi Backs Shas Leader Deri Despite Election Setback

Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the First to Zion and a member of the Council of Torah Sages, has publicly backed Shas party chairman Aryeh Deri following the party's significant drop in Knesset seats. In a letter addressed to Shas supporters, Rabbi Yosef praised Deri's dedication to the movement and the tireless efforts of activists who worked alongside him.

Rabbi Yosef acknowledged the disappointment of voters, noting that nearly 300,000 people cast their ballots for Shas. He stated that while the party's message did not reach as many people as it should have, the voters' reward would be great. Official results show Shas received 282,835 votes after 94% of ballots were counted.

Historically, Shas has garnered similar vote counts in past elections, receiving more votes in the current election than in April 2019 (258,275 votes for 8 seats) and even more than in 1996 (259,796 votes for 10 seats). However, the party's representation in the Knesset has decreased.

The article attributes Shas's reduced parliamentary power partly to a significant increase in voter turnout in the recent election, estimated at 78% of eligible voters compared to 71% in 2022. This surge, particularly in the Arab sector where turnout was around 80%, raised the number of votes required per Knesset seat, impacting Shas's mandate count.

The letter comes amid ongoing coalition-building efforts. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc currently holds 53 seats, while the opposition has 48, with 61 needed to form a government. Deri has previously declared Shas's firm support for Netanyahu, rejecting overtures from Yesh Atid chairman Gadi Eisenkot. Final official election results are expected by November 4.