Shas reached a compromise regarding leadership of the party on Wednesday evening, with the movement's spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef announcing co-leadership of the party.
Responsibilities are to be shared between current leader Eli Yishai and former leader Aryeh Deri, until the elections in January, Army Radio reported. Eli Yishai is to be first on the list, with Aryeh Deri placing second.
The role of chairman is to be temporarily cancelled until after the elections. Following the elections in January Rabbi Ovadia Yosef will decide who will act as chairman.
On Wednesday morning, Eli Yishai told Army Radio: "Anything the rabbi says, we are committed to do."
A Shas party official close to Yishai hinted that this was to be the most likely outcome. The source close to Rabbi Ovadia Yosef said that the fine details of the possible deal still needed to be agreed on, and that several variations of power sharing were on the table. It is still possible that Yishai will be guaranteed the most senior ministerial position should Shas be part of the next governing coalition, while Deri will become party chairman once again.
The source said that those closest to Yosef were most concerned with bringing about unity within the party as the current battle is harming the movement.
Deri, the founder and former leader of Shas, sought to return to his position as party chairman 13 years after his conviction and incarceration for accepting bribes.
Current chairman and Interior Minister Yishai refused to vacate his position as the most senior Shas politician, however, which led to rampant speculation over the future of the party’s leadership.
Deri remains extremely popular with Shas voters and many inside the party despite his jail sentence for corruption.
Yosef, however, was reportedly reluctant to depose Yishai, despite a promise made to Deri, before he went to prison, that he would return as party leader.
Religious Services Minister Ya’acov Margi told Channel 2 on Sunday that Yishai will remain Shas leader for the coming elections, and if Deri wanted to return as number two in the party the door would be open to him.
“Under no circumstances will Eli [Yishai] play second fiddle to Deri,” Margi said.
“Under no circumstances will Eli [Yishai] play second fiddle to Deri,” Margi said.
Deri publicly touted the possibility of establishing his own party if he would be able not able to return to Shas as party chairman – although Margi suggested this was merely a tactic to pressure the Shas leadership into allowing him to take up the leadership mantle.
Shas is currently the fourth largest party in the Knesset with 11 members.