Shas leader Aryeh Deri: Real threat of a secular Leftist government
Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri caste his vote in Har Nof in the capital on Tuesday during the re-do elections.
Shad leader and Minister of the Interior, Ayreh Deri casts his vote in Har Nof, Jerusalem, September 17 2019(photo credit: SHAS)ByJERUSALEM POST STAFFMinister Aryeh Deri [Shas] caste his vote in Har Nof, Jerusalem on Tuesday and told reporters on location, "There's a real danger of a secular Leftist government being formed [after the elections]."Deri said, "Wealthy communities [of] secular Ashkenazi [European Jews]" enjoy "higher voting rates" and added that "massive operations are taking place there [at these communities] to get them out to vote."Deri said that he regrets not seeing a similar sense of urgency among "our own ranks," meaning the non-Ashkenazi religious Jewish communities who usually support his party.He urged people to go out and vote and warned that, in his opinion, a coalition government of Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman and "the Arabs" is a likely outcome of the elections.In response to a question from the Post about what these "massive operations" might be a Shas spokesperson pointed to a recent ruling against a campaign by Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai that offered city residents a discount for swimming pools in the north of the city if they offer proof of voting, the city also offered discounts to non-kosher pubs and museums.Shas argues that these discounts are "illegal elections bribes" meant to encourage Left-leaning voters to come to the ballot box and "steal the elections illegally."Shas is famous for offering its voters a free pass to heaven if they vote for it. Read more about Aryeh Deri. See more onShas|Elections 2019RECOMMENDED STORIESIndia to receive new fighter jet with Israeli tech after Pakistan conflictJUNE 9, 2025Iran carried out implosion tests for nuclear weapons development, IAEA reportsJUNE 8, 2025Freedom Flotilla Coalition says it was attacked by drones, communications jammedJUNE 9, 2025Former Israeli Navy chief: Handling of Gaza flotilla incident was a 'diplomatic failure'JUNE 9, 2025