Internal revolt in Shas

Benizri: Shas may not pass threshold

Shlomo Benizri launches unprecedented attack on party chairman Aryeh Deri following political crisis and drop in polling: Colossal failure, I haven't heard an apology from him

Jfeed Staff

NOV 9, 2026 12:28

1 min read

Former Shas Minister Benizri: I Fear the Party Won't Pass the Threshold

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A former Shas minister has launched an unprecedented public attack on the party's leadership, warning that the movement may fail to cross the electoral threshold in the next election.

Shlomo Benizri, who served as a minister under Shas, issued a sharp and direct critique of party chairman Aryeh Deri in an interview on Reshet Bet this morning (Monday), citing the party's political standing and decline in public support.

"My fear is that Shas won't pass the threshold in the next elections," Benizri warned. "There is such a huge and colossal failure, and I haven't heard an apology from him."

He also criticised the way the party is being run and what he described as Deri's failure to take responsibility. "Deri doesn't understand that he is the problem," the he said. "Change the central leadership, activate the spiritual leadership. If he doesn't do that, then that's a problem."

The remarks represent a rare public break within Shas, where internal criticism of the chairman is typically kept behind closed doors. Benizri's warning comes as recent polls have shown the chareidi party losing ground, raising questions about its electoral future and the effectiveness of Deri's leadership during a period of political upheaval.

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