A recently rising star in the Israeli political firmament may have been shot down by charges of corruption published over the weekend in the mass-circulation Yediot Achronot, Israel’s largest newspaper.
Interior Minister Arye Deri of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party has hired a top lawyer, former Jerusalem District Attorney Michael Kirsch, and announced he would sue the tabloid for libel.
But Yediot editor Moshe Vardi said the newspaper stood by its allegations of bribery, corruption and misuse of ministerial funds.
The allegations include offering the Jerusalem Religious Council $1 million to appoint Deri’s brother Yehuda rabbi of the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem, and a son of former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef rabbi of the Har Nof neighborhood. Yosef backed Deri’s swift rise in Shas.
Deri is also alleged to have offered ministerial funds to the town of Or Akiva if it would waive part of the $500,000 tax owed by carpet manufacturer Avraham Shapiro.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
