Shas chairman Aryeh Deri is reportedly dismissing concerns that a national election scheduled for mid-September could disrupt travel to Uman and negatively impact the chareidi tzibbur, saying the date would actually benefit the broader right-wing bloc.

According to reports from closed-door discussions, Deri argued that elections held on September 15 would not significantly interfere with the annual pilgrimage to Uman surrounding Rosh Hashanah.

“People return immediately after the Yom Tov, it won’t have an impact. It’s a date that is good for the entire right-wing bloc, not just for Shas,” Deri reportedly said.

Sources in Shas emphasized that the final decision ultimately rests with Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu, who is expected to discuss the issue further with Deri in the coming days.

At the same time, Netanyahu has reportedly continued telling associates in private conversations over the past 24 hours that he wants to exhaust every possible avenue to delay elections as long as possible, with his preferred target date said to be October 27.

The issue has created growing tension within the coalition, particularly with representatives from United Torah Judaism, who oppose a September 15 election date because it falls during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah and could interfere with the schedules of talmidei yeshiva.

During the party’s faction meeting Monday, officials from United Torah Judaism reportedly accused Deri of acting on Netanyahu’s behalf in an effort to undermine the possibility of September elections and push the political system toward an October vote instead.