The Thundering Silence in Shas - and the Passing of the Baton Ceremony in United Torah Judaism
Aryeh Deri's party received between 8 and 6 seats in the exit polls, and he decided not to speak: "We will wait for the real results." United Torah Judaism chairman Yaakov Asher and his predecessor…
Assessment
Exit polls give Shas between 8 and 6 seats, a range wide enough that Aryeh Deri chose silence and a wait for official counts. That caution hints at internal worry. UTJ's chairman and his predecessor appeared together, a visible gesture of unity. Meanwhile, the small haredi party that fell below the threshold now faces the blunt consequences of electoral margins.