A wounded lion is a dangerous lion, which can be aggressive because it has nothing to lose. This is the most appropriate image for Aryeh Deri's situation. The chairman of the Shas party is one of the most sophisticated and experienced players in the arena, and therefore it is difficult to calculate his steps. His deafening silence hovers over party leaders and does not go unnoticed by Netanyahu either.
Deri is in a very difficult personal situation for a politician. He managed to make a significant achievement in the elections and win 11 seats, but in the meantime, for the past six months in the government, he has not been able to reap the fruits for which he spent a year and a half in opposition.
His most resounding problem is the failure to become a senior government minister. Whoever was mentioned as a candidate for finance minister – and later received two senior ministries with additional responsibilities, and budgets over which he fought in the coalition negotiations – finds himself sitting at home while the other party leaders serve as senior ministers. His tenure as a regular Knesset member arouses anger and bitterness in him, and sources close to him indicate that his mood is very low. The sense of frustration is heightened by the fact that Deri was one of the main factors in the struggle against the opposition to topple the Bennett-Lapid government. His great efforts led him to see the Promised Land – but not to enter it.
President Hayut at the High Court hearing: "In all the cases in which Deri was convicted, he was a public servant and harmed the public treasury" // Credit: Knesset Channel
Deri also faces a series of internal challenges within Shas. Moshe Arbel's success as interior minister with the passport campaign, while garnering compliments from all sides, does not encourage Deri, who watches from the famous balcony on HaKabalan Street, where he manages most of his daily schedule and rarely attends the Knesset. The decision to postpone the elections for the Chief Rabbinate was made last week, on the same balcony as Smotrich. Even the selection for Rishon LeZion, an appointment that Deri so desperately wants to have signed, is difficult to make due to an internal struggle for the position between his brother Rabbi Yehuda Deri and Rabbi David Yosef, son of Rabbi Ovadia.
Add to all this goodness a conflict with Health Ministry Director General Moshe Bar Siman Tov, and the shuffling of his close associate Barak Seri in the municipal elections in Ashdod - and you will understand that Deri is classified as politically seriously wounded, not yet critical. Netanyahu understands this and embraces Deri. Invites him to observe the cabinet and consults with him on a variety of issues very frequently.
Captive of the system
The dissonance between his personal situation and his performance in the coalition actually increases the question marks of his partners. Deri is one of the balancing forces in the coalition, acting responsibly and trying to block moves that will shake the ship. He was a strong supporter of stopping the reform, rejecting the draft law, and now insisted on having an opposition representative on the judicial selection committee.
Add to all this goodness a conflict with Health Ministry Director General Moshe Bar Siman Tov. Deri and Siman Tov, Photo: Gideon Markowitz
The main explanation for Deri's behavior is his strong desire to reach agreements with the opposition in the president's residence, so that they will eliminate the reasonable grounds for appointing ministers. It is his hope to become a government minister, but it is not certain that this path will also bring him rest and rest.
Five judges also disqualified him on the grounds of "judicial estoppel," and Justice Elron even ruled that Deri must go to the Central Elections Committee to first discuss the question of disgrace, which he does not want to do. In other words, six judges believed that Deri had reasons to serve as a minister, regardless of the reasonableness grounds. If it is annulled and Deri is appointed, the High Court will be filed and judges may disqualify him again on the same grounds. Government sources explain: "In fact, Deri is a prisoner of the system. He cannot fight the judges, understanding that they will be required again for his political future."
Five judges also disqualified him on the grounds of "judicial estoppel." The court during the hearing, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
If Deri is disqualified again, the lion will become mortally wounded, and the coalition is very worried about the repercussions when he has nothing to lose. At some point, when the government's hourglass turns and the time it serves is greater than the time left for elections, Deri's interest in holding elections, when he is not a minister, will increase significantly.
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