I dont know what the Supreme Court will decide in the Deri case, though it seems all the Shas people do know and are flipping out in advance. As I said, I think their is their campaign to pressure the court. If they decide Deri is out, the Shas people will all say we were right, it was obvious, the Supreme Court is against Deri, against Sefardim, against the Right etc. If they let Deri serve the Shas people will eventually say their campaign was successful.
I dont even find the upcoming Supreme Court decision interesting. What I find interesting is the leadup to the decision. And more interestingly, what will happen after. Obviously if they decide in his favor that means nothing interesting will happen. If they decide against Deri, it gets exciting.
If they decide against Deri, will he resign? Will Netanyahu fire him? Will they reject the decision and ignore it. If Deri resigns or gets fired by Netanyahu will the government fall? Some voices are saying they would dismantle the coalition if that happens. It seems, some Shas people are saying, they would push through a law that will allow Deri to serve and then dismantle the coalition and go to elections to bring him back.
Would they really risk elections over this? Give up the full right wing government so quickly? they might win bigger but they might not. Big risk. The government got 64 seats which is a big win but in votes it was very close and it was more the mismanagement on the left that gave the right the big win. There is no guarantee it would be repeated.
What elections would do is be a referendum on both Deri and the legal reforms Yariv Levin recently proposed. Previously they spoke about reforms and even mentioned some issues, but they never spoke about the sweeping reforms Levin actually proposed, so it is difficult to say this is what the people wanted. Now that the people know what the reforms are, immediate elections would at least partly be a referendum on that.
But it would be a big risk. Personal positions aside, would Deri really let Shas dismantle the coalition over this and go back to elections?
------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel
------------------------------------------------------
