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Peres and Rabbi Ovadia (archive phote)
Photo: Haim Zach
Leaflet against Peres
Photo: Gil Yohanan

Shas endorses Peres for president

Sephardic-haredi party's Council of Torah Sages, led by spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, orders its MKs to vote for vice premier in presidential elections: 'We decided to support Peres due to his years of work for Judaism'

Shas' Council of Torah Sages on Thursday ordered the party's Knesset members to vote for Vice Premier Shimon Peres for president of the State of Israel in the upcoming elections.

 

Only two of the council members were present at the meeting, which took place in the home of Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef in Jerusalem, where the upcoming presidential elections were discussed.

 

Rabbi Ovadia himself and Rabbi Shalom Cohen, who were present at the meeting, receieved the approval of the other two council members, Rabbi Shimon Baadani and Rabbi Moshe Maya who felt ill and could not arrive at the meeting.

 

Shas Ministers Eli Yishai and Ariel Atias were also present. Peres later spoke to Yishai, thanked him for his support and asked that his appreciation be conveyed to Rabbi Yosef.

 

The council's secretary, Rabbi Raphael Pinchasi announced at the end of the meeting that "the high council has decided to support Vice Premier, Minister Shimon Peres due to his years of work for Judaism, and we order all Shas faction MKs to vote for Mr Shimon Peres as president of the state and we wish him luck in his position for the State of Israel. We also honor and respect our dear friend Reuven Rivlin."

  

Earlier estimates suspected that Shas members would support the Likud's candidate, MK Reuven Rivlin. However, before entering the current government, Shas MKs signed a document committing to obey all of Rabbi Ovadia and the Council of Torah Sages' orders, leaving their hands tied.

 

Shas spokesman Roi Lahmanovich said Thursday that anonymous people had called and threatened him, saying the party's MKs must not support Peres' candidacy.

 

"I understand the public's feelings, and I regret the fact that this issue reached the point of threats," Lahmanovich said. "The decision which will be made by the Council of Torah Sages is the only obligating one regarding the presidential elections."

 

Leaflets against Peres in haredi neighborhoods

Leaflets have recently been distributed in haredi neighborhoods, calling on MKs not to support Peres for president. Some ads accused him of supporting the disengagement plan, while others said that he was anti-Jewish.

 

In one flyer, MKs are urged not to support "the one who will cause assimilation among the people of Israel.

 

"Dear Knesset member, when you stand behind the screen to vote for the president, remember Shimon Peres' blasphemy," another leaflet read.

 

An anonymous leaflet signed by members of ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods in the southern towns of Netivot, Ofakim, Ashdod and Kiryat Gat warns the MKs, "Those who will help Peres become president should know that they will be responsible for the bloodshed of women and children and will pay the full price for it."

 

Amnon Meranda and Attila Somfalvi contributed to this report

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.07.07, 23:28
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