I realy cannot understand how convicted fellons are legaly allowed, or even consider themselves ethically fit, to stand for the Knesset. Especialy those convicted of taking or giving bribes to enhance their political careeers...I can see why Olmert thinks he can return (his well known cynicism) but Deri, who is supposed to live by the tennets of theJewish religion and philosophy, is beyond my understanding. They both are showing their true faces of complete lack of ethics accompanied by uncontrolable ego's. Perhaps this is a reflection of Israeli politics today when paries will do anything to have some power, and the leaders of the Labour party, the workers party(!) are some of the richest people in the country.

Better they elect a woman who has never been convicted.

What can you expect from Shas? Even convicted criminals are accepted as party leaders...

A successful israeli politician must be a crook, a thief and a rapist. He must cheat Israel and its people. But by all means: he must be religious, preferably shassnik.

I'm pretty sure that with a criminal record you cannot be an Egged bus driver how could this man a convicted criminal who has served time in prison become a member of the Knesset! it is insane

A former public official convicted of bribery allowed to go back into politics. And that is why the country is in the state it's in.

Whether Olmert and Deri are suitable to return to public life depends on the democratic will of their respective political parties. I find it an embarrassment but it depends on the alternatives.

of the moral bankruptcy in Israeli politics and in our society as a whole. Disgusting is far too fine a word.

reflect you. You elect them, they share your values. Either you change and never elect such trash or you will end up in the trash bin of history. A schnorrer selfish people can never be a nation.

Unlike let's say Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert. Mr. Deri was convicted and paid his prison debt to society. Since his release he has worked tirelessly and achieved much here in Jerusalem. Therefore I see no reason NOT to give him another chance. As for all of the negative TBs here...people do any of you even know what you are talking about?

I am flabbergasted by all of the negative and non-forgiving TBs here! What if G-d decided to judge each one of you in the harsh way that you have chosen to judge Deri? Oh I see never mind each one of you is a perfect human being and not a one of you has ever sinned! Forgive me for even thinking...that you TBers might even need G-d to judge you on Yom Kippur! ;-)

To prevent Ne'eman being Justice Minister the AG invented charges for which he as tried. No one knows if Lieberman is a crook or not, but 12 years of intensive investigation have found no evidence. Ehud Barak is suspected of the worst case of election fund fraud, but the AG closed the case in less than a week when Barak refused to cooperate. Edna Arbel found clear evidence that Sharon was corrupt (Greek Island). For no reason, the charges were dropped. The justice system in Israel is dysfunctional, and the fact that someone has been convicted or not has no meaning, so let the voter decide. If the people elect convicted criminals like Olmert, Deri and Hanegbi, or suspected criminals like Barak, so be it.

Although Deri's return to Shas might be bad for the Land of Israel loyalists since Eli Yishai leans more to the nationalist side and it is unlikely that Deri will support Yesha annexation, we might be able to take comfort in the fact that Deri's return will lessen the influence of the ashkenazi haredi party UTJ over shas since their favorite guy Yishai wont be there. This might loosen up the Shas party and allow the true genuine Sephardic approach which is more lenient to dominate the party and bring some balance to the recent extremization of Haredi politics.

Deri belongs one place, in jail.

A convicted criminal cannot serve in a public official position. This man is a digrace. The talk-backers have not judged him. A court judged him and found him a guilty criminal. He has served his time and now cannot serve in a political role.

building the Israeli democracy, BUT the other way around.

$ha$ supported the disastorous Oslo accords for money. $ha$ supported Ehud Barak's goverment for money. $ha$ supported Sharon expelling Jews from their homes in Gush Katif for money. No to $ha$. Yes to democracy.

If the country accepts him, who are we to reject him. He paid for his error; now let him do what he can to ease the problems of plain honest people.

It is painfully obvious that you have no idea what you are talking about. Under no circumstances should a Rabbi who has been convicted serve in any public office, he should know better.