Shas

Israel Election 2026: What do Arye Deri's Shas and Yaakov Asher's United Torah Judaism stand for?

"If I put this ballot in the box, what government, policies, and political reality am I helping create?"

|BySHIR PERETS
Shas leader MK Arye Deri (L) and United Torah Judaism leader MK Ya’akov Asher.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett.

Israeli polls split on 2026 Knesset election possibilities, as Yashar, Likud vie for primacy - poll

The bloc averages also show no clear outcome: Netanyahu’s bloc, including Winter, stands at 53.6 seats, compared with 53.4 for the Zionist opposition bloc.

|ByMAARIV
Former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz leads Blue and White, which is polling below the electoral threshold.

Parties finalize Knesset slates before deadline as Gantz’s Blue and White runs alone despite polls

The deadline also means the end to speculation over possible mergers between parties that were polling below the electoral threshold.

|ByKESHET NEEV, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Shas chairman Arye Deri attends a vote at the plenum hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on July 16, 2026.

Shas leader Arye Deri claims IDF prefers secular army, haredi soldiers are 'a big headache'

Naftali Bennett responded to Deri's comments, saying the Shas chairman is "harming IDF soldiers," adding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "spreading blood libels about IDF commanders."

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Netanyahu's Likud falls to lowest position since June 2025 as Eisenkot reaches new heights - poll

A new Maariv poll shows Likud at its weakest level since June 2025, while Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar reaches a record 23 seats and Bennett maintains his lead over Netanyahu in the prime ministerial race.

JULY 24, 2026ByMOSHE COHEN
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a Knesset vote, July 16, 2026.

New haredi party launches, aiming to secure spot in Knesset ahead of elections

The new ultra-Orthodox Haredi Public Party led by the deputy mayor of Beit Shemesh, Moti Leitner, launched on Sunday with a large-scale advertising campaign in major haredi cities.

JULY 19, 2026ByKESHET NEEV
The Haredi Public party launched a large-scale advertising campaign at the entrances to and exits from major haredi cities on July 19, 2026.

Why Gadi Eisenkot is rejecting the haredi political embrace that once helped Netanyahu win

POLITICAL AFFAIRS: Yitzhak Yosef’s embrace – and Eisenkot's effort to distance himself from it – reflects Israel's shifting political landscape.

JULY 17, 2026ByHERB KEINON
Amid reports that the Shas Party could be willing to sit with him in government, Yashar Party head Gadi Eisenkot did not rule out that option entirely. Here, Eisenkot attends the Sagi Laws for Equality Confrence at the Peres Center in Jaffa earlier this week.

Netanyahu's coalition falls to 48 seats, opposition gets 62 seats after legislative blitz - poll

The poll found that 83% of voters oppose the inclusion of Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties in the coalition that is formed after the elections, while only 8% support it.

JULY 17, 2026ByMOSHE COHEN
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi are seen in the Knesset plenum during a vote on the minister's communications reform, in Jerusalem, July 16, 2026

Shas leader Arye Deri accuses IDF chief of 'helping the Left' with ultra-Orthodox draft stance

Deri on Zamir: 'He has lost it. What the chief of staff did... was an attempt to help the left-wing bloc' • PM hopefuls Bennett, Eisenkot swiftly condemn Shas leader's attack on IDF chief

JULY 16, 2026ByKESHET NEEV
Shas chairman MK Arye Deri attends the State Comptroller elections at the plenum of the Knesset, in Jerusalem, June 3, 2026.

Thinking about the Basic Law: Torah Study - opinion

This law means by “Torah study” includes only haredi students at haredi yeshivas who are engaged almost exclusively with religious issues, and most of whom have very little, if any, general education

JULY 13, 2026BySUSAN HATTIS ROLEF
Illustrative: A voting box in the an Israeli election in 2015.

MK Haim Biton questioned over suspected use of public funds to finance private Shas newspaper

He is suspected of using funds from the Ma'ayan HaChinuch HaTorani education network to finance a private Shas-affiliated newspaper while serving as the network’s director-general seven years ago.

JULY 13, 2026ByEFRAT FORSHER
Shas MK Haim Biton arrives to a government conference at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem on January 3, 2023.

Shas spiritual leader appears to open door to Eisenkot government, says Netanyahu ‘won’t repent’

The rare remarks suggested that Shas could potentially be open to joining a government led by Eisenkot, raising questions over the longstanding haredi alliance with Netanyahu's bloc.

JULY 12, 2026ByKESHET NEEV
Head of Shas party Aryeh Deri and Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef visit at the scene of suspected arson and vandalism at a Jerusalem synagogue which is often frequented by Rabbi Yosef, June 8, 2025.

Knesset advances Torah study bill after haredim, Netanyahu agree to strip controversial clause

The agreement is expected to allow the bill to advance in the Knesset's House Committee ahead of its final second and third readings after previous coaltion objections to wording.

JULY 9, 2026ByKESHET NEEV
Shas head Arye Deri is seen in the plenum of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, July 14, 2025

Shas spiritual leader orders support for coalition legislation in exchange for haredi-backed bills

Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef warned there was “no room for delay” on the Torah Study Law amid coalition efforts to advance contentious legislation.

JULY 7, 2026ByKESHET NEEV
ARYE DERI sits in the Knesset plenum.