Aryeh Deri Claims Shas Represents More Soldiers Than Religious Zionists Ahead of Elections

Aryeh Deri, leader of the Shas party, has sparked controversy with remarks positioning Shas as representing more soldiers than the Religious Zionist party. Following his promotion of the exemption law for ultra-Orthodox military service, Deri launched a campaign to reshape Shas's image ahead of upcoming elections, identifying the Religious Zionist party as a new political rival. In a recent interview on a Haredi podcast, Deri asserted that Shas "represents many more soldiers than Smotrich," referring to Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionist party. He also suggested that ending ongoing conflicts could be a solution to the crisis surrounding ultra-Orthodox enlistment in the Israel Defense Forces. Deri's comments come amid heightened political tensions over military conscription policies affecting the ultra-Orthodox community.