For the first time since 1992: Deri crashes. Barak Seri settles a score: "They are a bluff"

Shas crashes to six seats in the 2026 elections, and criticism of Aryeh Deri intensifies. Shlomo Benizri accuses the leadership of failure over the conscription law, and Barak Seri attacks: "Deri is a millstone around Shas's neck."

Shas crashes to just six seats in the 2026 elections, according to a count of 97.3% of the votes. Shlomo Benizri, a former Shas minister, spoke with Nissim Mishal and Ila'il Shahar on 103fm and attacked the leadership: "We lost almost 50% of our seats, this is truly a trauma, a shock, and a jolt to all our public." Benizri accused Aryeh Deri of not identifying the problem around the conscription law in time, and claimed that the Haredi public sees Deri as responsible for the failure to pass a conscription law. Media personality Barak Seri wrote on X that this is "an absolute, disgraceful, huge failure of one man: Aryeh Deri," and claimed that Deri drove away traditional voters due to his statements. Seri added that the threats of Deri's resignation are "a bluff."