Head of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, Arye Deri, announced Sunday that he would withdraw from the party list and would not be a member of the 26th Knesset.
The move means Deri will no longer serve as a member of Knesset, but will retain his position as Shas's political leader, continuing to oversee the party's direction and coalition negotiations.
His resignation will also allow the next eligible candidate on Shas's electoral list to enter the Knesset in his place.
In a statement, Deri said he had asked for and received the approval of the Council of Torah Sages to give up his place on the list “in favor of our young representatives, who have already proven themselves in parliamentary work.”
He said he planned to set out on “comprehensive, in-depth tours across the length and breadth of the country” to strengthen the party’s ties with its representatives, activists and the public, while continuing to convene the Shas faction weekly, guide its MKs and “closely oversee legislative and committee work in the Knesset.”
“With God’s help, I will continue to serve as chairman of the Shas movement in the light of our esteemed rabbis, and together we will continue to restore the crown to its former glory, and to safeguard the Torah world and the Jewish identity of the State of Israel,” Deri said.
The announcement comes days after the Shas Council of Torah Sages rejected Deri’s request to step down as party leader on Wednesday, following the party’s heavy losses in last month’s election.
Shas won just six seats, down from 11 in the outgoing Knesset, its weakest result in more than two decades.
Shas rabbis initially reject Deri’s resignation request
Shas had initially denied reports that Deri had submitted a resignation letter, rejecting claims that he had formally announced he was leaving either the Knesset or the party leadership.
In a letter last Wednesday, the council said it had “heard with great sorrow” Deri’s request and would “forbid him from leaving his position in the movement.
“We are confident that he will fulfill the will of the sages, as he has always done,” the letter said.
Deri said he accepted the council’s “unequivocal directive” and would remain in his post. “I accept it without hesitation or reservation, and thank the rabbis for the trust and support they have given me throughout the way,” he said.
Keshet Neev contributed to this article.