Aryeh Deri: The Enduring Power Broker of Israel's Shas Party
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Aryeh Deri, the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, has navigated a complex political career marked by both significant influence and legal convictions. After serving prison time for corruption, he returned to lead Shas and became a key coalition partner, advocating for the Haredi community's interests. Despite a recent Supreme Court ruling blocking his ministerial appointment due to tax offenses, Deri continues to wield considerable power behind the scenes. Ahead of the October 2026 elections, he is demanding legislative guarantees on military exemptions for yeshiva students, potentially impacting future government formations.
הידיעה ב-6 שורות · תקציר של baba
- Aryeh Deri, leader of the Shas party, is a pivotal figure in Israeli politics despite past corruption convictions.
- Deri previously served as Israel's youngest Interior Minister and has been instrumental in forming government coalitions.
- A 2022 tax offense conviction led to his ministerial appointment being overturned by the Supreme Court in January 2023.
- He champions Haredi interests, including military exemptions for yeshiva students, a contentious issue during wartime.
- Shas is demanding legislative guarantees on these exemptions before the October 2026 elections.
- Deri's negotiating power remains significant for the formation of the next Israeli government.
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 under the spiritual guidance of Rabbi Ovadia Yossef, Shas aims to represent the interests of Mizrahi Jews, who were historically marginalized by Ashkenazi elites. Deri rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming Israel's youngest Interior Minister in 1988 at age 29. He proved to be a skilled negotiator, establishing Shas as a crucial coalition partner capable of forming and breaking government majorities.
His political career was derailed by legal troubles. Convicted of corruption, fraud, and breach of trust in 1999, he served nearly two years in prison. Following his release, Deri orchestrated a comeback, retaking leadership of Shas in 2013 and gradually regaining influence. A subsequent conviction for tax offenses in 2022 led to his appointment as Interior and Health Minister in Benjamin Netanyahu's government being overturned by the Supreme Court in January 2023, deeming it illegal. Despite these setbacks, Deri has maintained significant behind-the-scenes influence.
Deri, a long-time ally of Netanyahu, advocates for the ultra-Orthodox community's priorities, including funding religious institutions, supporting large families, and preserving 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 27, 2026, elections approach, Deri is intensifying his demands, stating Shas will not join any government without legislative guarantees for religious students' status. While an alliance with Netanyahu remains preferred, Shas is exploring other political configurations to leverage its eleven seats won in 2022 and preserve Deri's negotiating power. Despite his convictions and controversies, Deri remains a highly experienced politician whose support could be pivotal in forming the next Israeli government.
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