Shas is a conservative religious party, Sephardic and Haredi (ultra-Orthodox). It wants to keep the current rules on civil marriage, transport on Shabbat and the Chief Rabbinate's control. It also wants more financial aid for poor families.
Shas does not choose its candidate list through a normal vote. A Council of Rabbis decides it.
On security and the territories, Shas has no clear, recent position, apart from the views of its founder, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.
Heads the listAryeh DeriPROVISIONAL RESULTS · counting complete
Shas supports disarming Gaza, but does not want Israel to control the Strip with no time limit. Shas voted for the death penalty for terrorists, despite opposition from the Sephardi Chief Rabbi.
Shas opposes court rulings that take benefits away from young Haredim who do not serve. In 2023, Shas backed a law to let Aryeh Deri become a minister again despite a ruling. On October 7, Shas follows the cautious line of its Council of Torah Sages.
Shas left the government in 2025 after talks on the law failed. Shas rabbis are calling on followers to ignore enlistment orders.
This army, which is able to bomb Iran, will surely be able to deal with this too.
Shas blocked the 2026 budget until Haredi children were eligible for food vouchers. Shas mainly redistributes toward its own community, which draws criticism.
It is unacceptable that a poor Haredi child does not receive the minimal support that a poor Arab child receives.
Shas rejects and more public transportation on Shabbat. For Shas, only Orthodox Judaism should be recognized by the state.
Shas MKs voted in 2024 for the Knesset resolution against a . The founder of Shas accepted territorial compromises at the time of Oslo, but Shas has not taken up this position again.
Shas, through Aryeh Deri, approved the June 2025 attack on Iran in the cabinet, describing it as the most difficult decision. In April 2024, by contrast, Aryeh Deri had argued against retaliating in Iran and for listening to the United States.
דרעי על ההחלטה לתקוף באיראן (JDN, d'après HaDerech) · Jun 18, 2025 · source ↗Partly inferred position: Shas supported the hostage deals and the October 2025 ceasefire, but Aryeh Deri sets the demilitarization of Gaza and the expulsion of Hamas leaders as conditions.
Shas ministers will support any deal that will bring home hostages (Jerusalem Post) · Jan 13, 2025 · source ↗Its position: A military action against Iran’s nuclear sites
Shas approved the June 2025 military operation against Iran’s nuclear program in the cabinet, and Aryeh Deri hailed its success. Aryeh Deri nevertheless stresses his hesitations and had opposed retaliating in Iran in April 2024.
דרעי על ההחלטה לתקוף באיראן (JDN, d'après HaDerech) · Jun 18, 2025 · source ↗Updated October 23
Sources : Fourchette calculée à partir de 4 instituts entre le 16 et le 19 octobre 2026. N12/Midgam, Maariv/Lazar Research, N13 et Kan 11/Kantar. Le détail complet par institut est disponible dans l'encart sondages de la fiche.
Compare Shas with another partyShas is a conservative religious party, Sephardic and Haredi (ultra-Orthodox). It wants to keep the current rules on civil marriage, transport on Shabbat and the Chief Rabbinate's control. It also wants more financial aid for poor families.
Shas does not choose its candidate list through a normal vote. A Council of Rabbis decides it.
On security and the territories, Shas has no clear, recent position, apart from the views of its founder, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.
Security & National Defense
Shas voted for the law on the for terrorists in the first reading and in the final reading (March 30, 2026), on the instructions of its Council of Torah Sages.
Military Service & Haredi Society
Shas supports exemption from service for yeshiva students; its ministers left the government in July 2025 because no exemption law had been passed. In October 2026, Aryeh Deri states that Shas will not join any government and will only allow one to be formed after the passage of a law regularizing the status of yeshiva students.
Religion & State
Shas opposes civil marriage: in December 2025, Shas condemned the Speaker’s vote in favor of a civil marriage bill, which the Knesset rejected. This is a consistent Shas position.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
For a long time Shas, with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, supported interim agreements and the evacuation of small isolated settlements, but not of the large blocs or of Jerusalem. In 2025, Shas voted for the motion in favor of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria/the West Bank.
Territories & Settlements
In July 2025, Shas MKs voted for the Knesset’s symbolic motion in favor of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria/the West Bank. Aryeh Deri has also said in the past that he refuses to annex the Palestinian population, which brings Shas closer to sovereignty limited to the settlement areas.
Democracy & Institutions
Shas supported the ’s judicial reform, which included an override clause. Aryeh Deri wants to “reform the judicial system in depth and return power to the people and their elected representatives”.
Shas was founded in 1984 by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, former Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, in a break with Agudat Israel, which was considered too dominated by Ashkenazim and insufficiently representative of Sephardim. The party set itself the mission of defending the religious and cultural heritage of Sephardi Judaism. Yitzhak Peretz led the party from 1984 to 1990, then Aryeh Deri from 1990 to 1999, then Eli Yishai from 2000 to 2013. Deri resumed the chairmanship in 2013, the year in which Ovadia Yosef, who had remained the movement's spiritual leader, died in October. Since then, Deri has led the party; its candidate list is determined by the movement's Council of Torah Sages. The party resigned from the government in 2025 after negotiations on Haredi conscription failed, in line with its consistent opposition to compulsory enlistment. Its list for 2026, approved by the Council of Torah Sages on September 7, 2026, is led by Arié Dery, followed by Yinon Azoulay and Michael Malkieli. The campaign was launched on August 20 in Holon, with Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef scheduled to participate, with Deri's approval.
On October 11, 2026, Shas and United Torah Judaism signed a surplus-vote agreement and pledged to form a united front in the next Knesset. Arié Dery declared that the party would not enter any government without the prior passage of a law regularizing the status of yeshiva students.
Deri blocked the vote on the 2026 budget until Haredi children were included in the food allowance program. The objective was achieved.
Deri, together with United Torah Judaism, championed the repeal of the 2021 kashrut reform.
Deri resigned from the government in 2025 after negotiations on conscription failed.
Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef publicly opposed the law on the death penalty for terrorists, citing Shin Bet warnings about an increased risk to Jews abroad, but the party's political leadership maintained its vote in favor. This illustrates a notable tension between rabbinic authority and the political line.
Israel should be able to launch a preemptive strike against a country or group that threatens it, even without the support of its allies.
Shas, through Aryeh Deri, approved the June 2025 attack on Iran in the cabinet, describing it as the most difficult decision. In April 2024, by contrast, Aryeh Deri had argued against retaliating in Iran and for listening to the United States.
Source :דרעי על ההחלטה לתקוף באיראן (JDN, d'après HaDerech)· 2025-06-18
Israel should accept a long-term ceasefire in Gaza, even if Hamas is not fully disarmed.
Partly inferred position: Shas supported the hostage deals and the October 2025 ceasefire, but Aryeh Deri sets the demilitarization of Gaza and the expulsion of Hamas leaders as conditions.
Source :Shas ministers will support any deal that will bring home hostages (Jerusalem Post)· 2025-01-13
Faced with Iran’s nuclear program, which approach should Israel favor?
Shas approved the June 2025 military operation against Iran’s nuclear program in the cabinet, and Aryeh Deri hailed its success. Aryeh Deri nevertheless stresses his hesitations and had opposed retaliating in Iran in April 2024.
Source :דרעי על ההחלטה לתקוף באיראן (JDN, d'après HaDerech)· 2025-06-18
Israel should apply the death penalty to people convicted of deadly attacks.
Shas voted for the law on the death penalty for terrorists in the first reading and in the final reading (March 30, 2026), on the instructions of its Council of Torah Sages.
Source :Haredi Shas party backs death penalty for terrorists ahead of final votes (JNS)· 2026-03-01
Israel should accept the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a peace agreement.
Inferred position: Shas, a member of the right-wing coalition, opposes a Palestinian state in line with its general stance, but no recent statement could be verified in the course of this research.
To reach an agreement with the Palestinians, Israel should be ready to give up part of Judea and Samaria/West Bank.
For a long time Shas, with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, supported interim agreements and the evacuation of small isolated settlements, but not of the large blocs or of Jerusalem. In 2025, Shas voted for the motion in favor of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria/the West Bank.
Source :Aryeh Deri: Shas will expel Jews from their homes (Jewish Press)· 2015-03-11
Israel should let more humanitarian aid into Gaza, even if part of it risks being diverted by Hamas.
In April 2025, Shas leader Aryeh Deri supported a complete halt to humanitarian aid to Gaza as a means of pressure on Hamas, with no intention of restoring it.
Source :Shas chair Deri says Israel willing to pay heavy price for hostage deal (Times of Israel)· 2025-04-09
Existing settlements in Judea and Samaria/West Bank should be able to expand.
Inferred position: Shas supports the construction policy in Judea and Samaria/the West Bank of the government it belongs to, without making settlement expansion a priority. No recent statement could be verified.
On which part of Judea and Samaria/West Bank should Israel apply its sovereignty?
In July 2025, Shas MKs voted for the Knesset’s symbolic motion in favor of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria/the West Bank. Aryeh Deri has also said in the past that he refuses to annex the Palestinian population, which brings Shas closer to sovereignty limited to the settlement areas.
Source :Knesset vote on sovereignty motion (Al-Quds)· 2025-07-23
What should Israel do about military service for yeshiva students?
Shas supports exemption from service for yeshiva students; its ministers left the government in July 2025 because no exemption law had been passed. In October 2026, Aryeh Deri states that Shas will not join any government and will only allow one to be formed after the passage of a law regularizing the status of yeshiva students.
Source :Times of Israel : Deri says, like UTJ, Shas won't join next government without a draft exemption law· 2026-10-14
Israel should allow civil marriage, in addition to religious marriage.
Shas opposes civil marriage: in December 2025, Shas condemned the Knesset Speaker’s vote in favor of a civil marriage bill, which the Knesset rejected. This is a consistent Shas position.
Source :Knesset Speaker's Civil Marriage Vote Sparks Ultra-Orthodox Fury (Metro Weekly)· 2025-12-30
Public transport should operate on Shabbat where local residents want it.
Inferred position: Shas defends the on Shabbat and opposes public transport on that day. No recent statement could be verified in the course of this research.
The state should keep funding religious institutions and services the way it does today.
Inferred position: Shas defends public funding for religious services and is responsible for them in the government. No recent statement could be verified in the course of this research.
A Reform or Conservative (Masorti) conversion to Judaism, carried out abroad, should continue to give the right to make .
Inferred position: Shas recognizes only Orthodox conversions and wants to restrict the Law of Return. No recent statement could be verified in the course of this research.
Should the be able to strike down a law passed by the Knesset?
Shas supported the coalition’s judicial reform, which included an override clause. Aryeh Deri wants to “reform the judicial system in depth and return power to the people and their elected representatives”.
Source :Shas (Wikipedia)· 2023-01-01
What should be done with the 2018 “Nation-State” law?
Inferred position: Shas was part of the coalition that passed the Nation-State law in 2018 and has not asked for it to be amended. No recent statement could be verified.
The state should lower taxes, even if this means cutting some public spending.
Inferred position: Shas presents itself as a social party, committed to public assistance for low-income families, but no recent statement on raising taxes could be verified.
Israel should create a civil union open to same-sex couples, with the same rights as married couples.
Shas opposes the recognition of same-sex couples: in December 2025, Shas condemned the Knesset Speaker’s vote for a civil marriage bill that also covered same-sex couples.
Source :Knesset Speaker's Civil Marriage Vote Sparks Ultra-Orthodox Fury (Metro Weekly)· 2025-12-30
Publicly funded services should be allowed to offer separate spaces for men and women when a community asks for it.
Inferred position: Shas supports the separate spaces for men and women requested by the Haredi community. No recent statement could be verified in the course of this research.
Haredi schools that receive state money should be required to teach core subjects (math, English, science), like other schools.
The Shas school network teaches the core subjects, but Shas defends the autonomy of Haredi schools and, together with United Torah Judaism, obtained in 2016 the cancellation of the obligation to teach these subjects.
Source :Harav David Yosef: My goal is to add more core curriculum to the Shas Educational System (Behadrei Haredim)· 2016-07-29
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