Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Shas leader withdraws from Knesset list, stays as party chief

Aryeh Deri, a key ally of outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, withdrew from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party’s list for the incoming Knesset on Sunday and will remain party chairman, Israel’s Channel 12 reported. Lawmaker Moshe Abutbul and candidate Dror Amos also withdrew from the list, clearing the way for Uriel Buso and Yossi Taieb to enter parliament. Shas will retain all six seats it won in the Oct. 27 elections. Deri had offered to step down as chairman after Shas fell from 11 seats in the previous Knesset to six. The party’s top religious authority, the Council of Torah Sages, rejected his request and asked him to stay on. Deri agreed and will lead the party from outside parliament, […]