Shas
Leader: Aryeh Deri (political), Rabbi Shalom Cohen (spiritual)
Current Seats: 7
Government/Opposition in Last Knesset: Government
Supports/Opposes Two-State Solution: Unclear
Shas is a right-wing ultra-Orthodox Mizrahi political party, currently chaired by Aryeh Deri and directed by a rabbinical body, the Council of Torah Sages.
An Orthodox Mizrahi party, Shas has both a political leadership and a clerical authority, the Council of Torah Sages. The party's spiritual leader is Rabbi Shalom Cohen.
Shas has previously joined coalitions led by both Likud and Labor, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not one of the party’s main priorities. However, longtime Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef did endorse territorial concessions for the sake of peace during the Oslo process. Moreover, several Shas MKs have voiced support for a two-state solution as envisioned by the Geneva Initiative. Nevertheless, the party lacks an official program related to the question of two states, and leans right on other social issues.
Shas leader MK Aryeh Deri could face legal troubles, and the Council of Torah Sages may be less willing to help him this time.
In recent years, Shas has lately been plagued by internal fractures and legal troubles among its membership, including Aryeh Deri. Former Shas head Eli Yishai launched a new far-right party, Yachad, in 2015. Meanwhile, the Israel Police have recommended indictments against Deri on corruption charges (Deri was previously jailed for corruption). While Deri was previously restored to the Shas leadership by the party’s rabbinical overseers, the Council of Torah Sages have been more tepid in their support for the embattled chairman this time around.