Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef tapped to lead Shas party, report says

Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef has reportedly been chosen to lead the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Shas party, with the decision announced by Council of Elders head Rabbi Moshe Maya, according to KAN News. The selection reportedly occurred amidst underlying tensions between Rabbi Yosef and the party's chairman, MK Arye Deri, who personally delivered the news to Yosef at his residence.

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no chance

The report from KAN News remains unclear on whether Rabbi Yosef will officially be a member of Shas's slate for the Knesset. However, it notes that Yosef has not ruled out the possibility of a coalition with Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar Party, suggesting such a partnership could materialize if Yosef sets the political tone. Further indicating a move towards reconciliation or collaboration, Yosef and Deri reportedly agreed that Yosef would participate in the party's launch conference.

This development follows recent public statements by Rabbi Yosef in June, where he offered critical commentary on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating there was "no chance" Netanyahu would "repent." Yosef also remarked on the secular nature of the country, expressing doubt about the potential for repentance among certain individuals, while suggesting "Eisenkot might repent."

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We are in a secular country. There are those whom I don’t believe will repent.

A recent KAN poll indicates that Shas is projected to win seven seats in the upcoming October elections. This places them behind Yitzhak Goldknopf's United Torah Judaism, which is expected to secure eight seats. The same poll shows Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar Party leading Likud by one seat, emerging as the largest party with 24 seats following Likud's primaries.

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Eisenkot might repent.