Attorney General Seeks to Postpone Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Memorial Events Amid Election Concerns, Shas Strongly Opposes

The Israeli Attorney General has requested to postpone the state-organized memorial events for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the Shas party, due to their timing near the upcoming elections. The law mandates that activities commemorating Rabbi Yosef take place on the anniversary of his death or within the following week, which this year falls on October 14. However, the Attorney General expressed concerns that holding the events close to the elections could lead to misuse of state resources for political campaigning, especially since Shas is using Rabbi Yosef's image in its election campaign.

Shas vehemently opposes the postponement, arguing that delaying the events violates the law passed by the Knesset that specifies the timing of these commemorations. The party also compared the situation to memorial events for former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, suggesting that if Rabbi Yosef's events are postponed due to political associations, similar treatment should apply to Rabin's commemorations, which they say are linked to the left and the Labor Party.

Shas described the Attorney General's demand as "arrogant and outrageous," claiming it severely harms Rabbi Yosef's memory and the large public that follows his legacy. The party announced plans to challenge the decision legally, stating they will use all available judicial means to prevent what they see as an infringement on the commemoration and an attack by a politically aligned Attorney General.