Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s inner circle is reportedly concerned that Shas chairman Aryeh Deri may relinquish some or all of his control over the party following its disappointing performance in last week’s Knesset elections, potentially threatening one of Netanyahu’s most important political alliances.

According to B’Chadrei Chareidim, Netanyahu’s associates fear that Deri could decide to withdraw from managing Shas entirely or significantly reduce his day-to-day involvement after decades of maintaining tight control over the party.

The concerns reportedly center on two major issues that could have significant consequences for Netanyahu’s political future.

First is the longstanding personal and political relationship between Netanyahu and Deri, which has played a critical role in maintaining Netanyahu’s alliances with the Chareidi parties.

For years, Deri has served as Netanyahu’s primary intermediary with the Sephardic Torah leadership and, at times, with leading Ashkenazic rabbonim as well.

His ability to coordinate between political and rabbinic leadership has made him an indispensable partner for Netanyahu, particularly during coalition negotiations and periods of political instability.

The second concern involves what could happen to Shas if Deri no longer exercises centralized authority over its elected representatives.

According to the report, Netanyahu’s associates fear that the party could become increasingly influenced by competing rabbinic figures and political interests, creating a fragmented leadership structure without a single individual capable of making binding decisions.

Such a development could leave Shas resembling United Torah Judaism, where different factions and rabbinic authorities sometimes maintain competing positions, complicating negotiations with potential coalition partners.

For Netanyahu, the prospect of losing Deri as a reliable political partner comes at a particularly sensitive moment.

Shas suffered a significant electoral setback in last week’s election, dropping to just six Knesset seats, while Netanyahu’s existing political bloc secured only 53 seats, well short of the 61 needed for a governing majority.

The election results have already fueled speculation about Deri’s political future, including reports that he has been considering stepping aside from the party leadership.

For now, there has been no official announcement that Deri intends to resign or relinquish control of Shas.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)