Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Nov 13: Shas chairman Arye Deri has initiated a long-term process to rebuild the Sephardi ultra-Orthodox party following its poor performance in the recent elections, which saw it lose nearly half its political strength, according to a report by Walla.
As part of the exercise, Deri last week convened party representatives, including municipal-level officials, and asked them to submit detailed reports within approximately a week. The reports are expected to include election results from their respective areas, an assessment of the reasons behind the party's decline and recommendations for its future.
Deri reportedly told the representatives that he did not want reports that softened the reality or downplayed the defeat. Instead, he sought frank and critical assessments, saying the party needed to confront the reasons for its electoral setback before beginning its recovery.
The exercise is effectively being viewed as an internal inquiry into how one of Israel's most established electoral organisations suffered such a setback.
For years, Shas's grassroots network has been considered one of its major strengths. The party has an extensive presence of activists and representatives across several cities and political strongholds, supported by an organisational structure involving local-level coordinators.
The network, traditionally used to mobilise voters and improve turnout on polling day, is now being used to analyse the party's performance and identify the reasons for its decline.
Party representatives are expected to present their findings to Deri in the coming days. However, some party members believe the reasons for the setback are already evident.
A party source told Walla that Shas had moved too close to the extremist ultra-Orthodox camp, particularly on the issue of military conscription. The source said the party's rhetoric had become increasingly extreme and that its traditional voter base felt alienated.
According to the source, the party's attempt to reconnect with traditional Jewish voters during the final stages of the election campaign came too late.
The source said that featuring soldiers in campaign videos could not undo years of damage, adding that traditional voters had begun feeling that the movement no longer represented their interests.
Within Shas, there is growing recognition that the electoral setback reflects a deeper crisis concerning the party's identity and voter base rather than merely a failed campaign.
The key challenge before Deri is to regain the support of traditional Jewish voters who have moved away from the party without alienating its ultra-Orthodox supporters.
Party members believe rebuilding trust will take time, as the damage has accumulated over several years.