Shas loses 118,000 votes, falling to six Knesset seats

Shas has lost approximately 118,000 votes in the recent Israeli election, a drop that places the party on the verge of securing just six seats in the new Knesset. The result, which became fully apparent on Thursday, marks one of the worst electoral performances in the party's history. Current tallies, which exclude double-envelope ballots, show Shas receiving about 275,000 votes, or 5.3% of valid ballots.

In the 2022 election, the party secured 392,964 votes, equating to 8.25% of the total and 11 Knesset seats. The current 30% decline in voter support has triggered a wave of internal recriminations. Party insiders argue that the losses stem from a shift toward a hardline stance on haredi military enlistment during the recent war.

Internal discussions have focused on the political course taken by the party's religious leadership. One Shas official stated that extremist elements have taken control of the organization. The official said, 'Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef led a very hardline and extreme approach on the draft issue, and other rabbis pulled the party in the same direction. We've reached a point where there's no difference between us and the Jerusalem Faction. Is this the Shas we want to be?'

Criticism has also extended to the political leadership, with some members believing leaders failed to restrain the growing extremism. During the war, Shas MKs visited haredi men held in military prison for draft evasion. Allegations suggest these visits were imposed on the MKs against their wishes.

Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef's public statements became a focal point of the controversy. He urged haredi men to avoid enlistment even if they were not studying Torah and advised them to flush military draft notices down the toilet. These remarks drew public scrutiny while IDF soldiers fought on multiple fronts and hundreds of families mourned losses.

The electoral base of Shas, which typically has a high birth rate, had expected support to grow naturally. Estimates suggested the party might have increased its representation to 12 or 13 seats. Instead, the party faces the prospect of holding barely half the parliamentary seats it had anticipated.

Shas chairman Arye Deri has rejected reports that he intends to step down. Associates insist he will personally lead the party's recovery. A Shas official described the plan as a revolution and a restart of the party. The official said, 'We were dragged into extremism, and we're going to shake it off. We'll bring Shas back to what it always was, a party of the Sephardi, haredi and traditional public. It will be a long process, but we're setting out on that path. We've been through difficult times before and recovered. We'll manage to put things right, with God's help.'