Shas rabbinical council said to back Deri in new graft probe

‘Continue your holy work,’ head of party’s highest body reportedly tells accused interior minister after latest allegations

The head of the Shas rabbinical council has reportedly expressed support for party chair Aryeh Deri after fresh fraud allegations against him were made public Monday.

Rabbi Shalom Cohen, president of Shas’s Council of Torah Sages called Deri to give his backing after he was named as one of the two senior politicians under investigation, according to the Ynet news website.

“God will protect those who work for the good of the public,” he reportedly told Deri. “Continue your holy work for the people of Israel.”

The council, founded and formerly headed by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, is considered the Shas party’s highest authoritative body.

Deri, who previously served a prison sentence for graft while in that same post, identified himself as one of two senior lawmakers under investigation for corruption after Channel 2 aired a report on the probe Tuesday evening.

On Wednesday, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit officially approved a preliminary probe into Deri and the other lawmaker, who at the time was still unnamed. He has since been identified as Zionist Union chair and head of the opposition, Isaac Herzog.

Deri served 22 months in prison from 2000 to 2002 after he was convicted of taking bribes while serving as interior minister, and returned to politics earlier this decade to lead the ultra-Orthodox party in the Knesset.

Former leader of the Shas party Aryeh Deri on his way to Ma'asiyahu prison on September 3, 2000, convicted of taking $155,000 in bribes while serving as interior minister. Deri was given a three-year jail sentence, but was ultimately released after 22 months for good behavior. (Flash90) — Former leader of the Shas party Aryeh Deri on his way to Ma’asiyahu prison on September 3, 2000, convicted of taking $155,000 in bribes while serving as interior minister. Deri was given a three-year jail sentence, but was ultimately released after 22 months for good behavior. (Flash90)

Deri returned to his Interior Ministry post earlier this year after a court ruled his prior conviction did not disqualify him from the post.

In an interview with Army Radio on Wednesday, former Shas MK Nissim Zeev defended Deri, saying he was “confident” he would ultimately be found innocent of wrongdoing.

Investigations into both lawmakers are in a preliminary stage, and neither has been questioned by police.

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked told Army Radio she was surprised to learn of the allegations against Deri, but urged the public to refrain from passing judgment until the police investigation is complete.

“I found out about it from the media like everyone else,” she said. “Its very easy to discredit a person’s name, which is why the investigation is so important.”

Tamar Pileggi contributed to this report.