‘Israeli’ Coalition Vows to Return Deri To Office After Court Rules He Can’t Serve

By Staff, Agencies

Right-wing lawmakers from the ruling coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the ‘Israeli’ court’s near-unanimous ruling on Wednesday striking down Shas leader Aryeh Deri’s appointment to the roles of’ interior minister and health minister.’

The coalition said the decision justified the government’s contentious plans to radically overhaul the Zionist regime’s judicial and legal system and restrict the court’s powers. 

Deri, who previously served jail time for an earlier graft conviction, pleaded guilty to the tax charges last year as part of a plea deal in which he resigned from the Knesset and received a suspended prison sentence.

A key ally in Netanyahu’s right-wing, far-right, and ultra-Orthodox government, Deri then reentered Knesset as head of Shas’s 11-seat faction in November. In December, the coalition fast-tracked legislation to smooth his way into holding the interior and health ministry posts.

Shas and its coalition partners anticipated the ruling, but it still dealt a blow to the hardline coalition formed late last month by Netanyahu.

A senior member of Shas warned earlier Wednesday, in what appeared to be a threat to the court rather than to the government, that if Deri was disqualified, the Likud-led coalition might be in jeopardy.