Electionscape: Shas is Kadima’s Must-Have Party
Excerpts;
Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s latest pronouncement, made in an interview to a haredi newspaper over the weekend, that “whoever votes Kadima [forward in English] goes backwards to hell” can easily be explained away as yet another in a long series of ridiculous quotes from the sage’s wisdom.
What is interesting is that Yosef’s words seemed to contradict those of Shas Chairman MK Eli Yishai, who has been telling reporters over the last few days that the problem with a Kadima government was Ehud Olmert’s new pullback plan.
The truth of the matter is that Yishai has strict orders from the rabbi to be a part of the next coalition at all costs. If not, his days as chairman are numbered. Yosef doesn’t really mind more pullbacks, and he wants to make sure that after three years in opposition, Shas’s educational movement are reconnected to government cash-flow.
If you look closely at what Yishai actually said, he didn’t veto participation in a government that implemented the pullbacks, he just said he would “recommend to the Council of Torah Sages not to join such a government.”
Since the council is Yosef’s one-man show, the decision will remain unchanged. Yishai knows this. He is simply fending off accusations from Likud and the rest of the right-wing that he’s already cut a deal with Olmert. Since almost all Shas voters are on the right, such accusations could be ruinous.
Commentary;
What ever happened to honesty and principles? Traded for $$?? MB