Over the past couple of days, I keep seeing Rav Mazuz, Eli Yishai's new "maran" and rabbinic council, talk about the new party not poaching voters, or targeting them, from Shas, but only from the Dati Leumi parties of Habayit Hayehudi and Tekuma. When the deal with Tekuma fell through, Yishai said he will next approach Ben Ari and Otzma people. Now Rav Lior and Rav Levanon are announcing their support for Eli Yishai, even though Tekuma is not moving over, as if they think they will have any say in what goes on over there.
If he is not taking away [much] from Shas, but only from the Dati Leumi, what is he really offering? Why does he want to lead a community that is not his? The only thing I can think of is that by doing this he will be bringing, or trying to bring, a bit more power and seats to the Haredi parties from communities that would not normally have voted for Yishai or Shas.. Shas could not attract them even under the best of conditions, but maybe the new Eli Yishai party can...
hmmmm
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This isn't a ploy. This was Eli Yishai's and Rav Mazuz's open intention to begin with - to attract voters who are not enamored with Shas and would have never voted for them.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with you when you say that he wants "to lead a community that is not his". It is my understanding that Yishai believes the politically-right-wing Dati Leumi, Hardal, and Haredi voters to be his true base. The religious community isn't all black and white (pun intended).
Surely it's another reflection of the shift towards extremism (sadly) in religious life in Israel. A party is being created that will (or would have, if Uri Ariel and Tekuma had joined) have been a home for the awkward mix of religious extrmism and political - of haredi and religious zionist extremism
ReplyDeleteI am glad that Uri Ariel said no because I was afraid that they would have garnered a lot of votes. Which would be a terrible reflection on religious life in israel.
I am voting for Yesh Atid because I believe we need a moderate, Jewish and Democratic party that can stand up to extremism, create a strong center and be jewish and proud at the same time.
If all the politcians would reach Eli Yishai's level, then we'd have an honest Knesset. The rest, except for a few, are just "politicians".
ReplyDelete???
DeleteCatriel Lev- RBS-Alef
I don't think so at all. The trend in the latest polls show a dive in Shas seats with Deri and Mimran on Kol Chai is very worried. Apparently there had been some gentleman's agreement not to bash each other but Deri on the Sat nite talk shows unsheathed the swords and while the immediate reply from Eli Yishai's camp was very appeased, some internal report was then released to make Deri look really bad.
ReplyDeleteStill too early to tell what Yishai's plan really is. The talking heads seem to think it is about Yishai honour and that promising him #2 spot will bring unity, but I think that it is really much deeper than that.
Another strategy of the Deri camp is to paint Yishai as being the one to divide the Shas camp, yet the Yishai camp has all the ammo to reply with Deri's massive threat only two years ago to create a new breakoff party. A threat that succeeded in getting Rav Ovadia to agree to replace him back to #1.