Former Shas minister blames Deri for alienating voters as party drops to six seats
Commentators say Arye Deri should have stopped the conscription crisis before it cost the party its base, calling him a 'millstone' around the ultra-Orthodox party's neck.
Former Shas minister Shlomo Benizri has blamed party leader Arye Deri for the party's disappointing election results, with Shas securing only six Knesset seats out of its former 11. Benizri criticized Deri for failing to address the issue of haredi military conscription and for alienating the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community, whom he described as the backbone of Shas's support base.
The former minister also criticized Shas's close alignment with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that the party is not a satellite of Likud and has its own principles. Benizri suggested that Deri's statements, such as his support for his three draft-dodging grandsons and his stance on conscription, drove away traditional voters from Shas.
The former minister urged for a more thorough self-examination within the party, rather than immediate calls for Deri's resignation.
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