Aryeh Deri is getting nasty and divisive by letting the genie of Sephardic rage out of the bottle, playing the race card to a minority base of voters, and to a large base of Likud voters who are Mizrachi but feel less represented in Israel's government.
"Today we have learned who truly controls Likud," he said, after a comment by Lieberman to the Mishpacha magazine made clear that Shas's balance of power in the next government would be diminished, and that their portfolio positions would be downgraded. "Yisrael Beitenu has carried out a hostile takeover of Likud. From the party of the people, Likud has become an arrogant, smug party that represents Russians and whites," said Aryeh Deri. "They humiliated [Moshe] Kachlon, and now they want to humiliate the rest of the Sephardic ministers. This is a wake-up call to all Sephardim: come home, Likud is no longer your home. Shas is your natural and true home. Only a strong Shas will safeguard the Sephardim in the next Netanyahu government," he added in the written statement.
Communication Minister Kachlon, who took a break from politics, dismissed Deri's statement. "I suggest that Aryeh Deri find other gimmicks and that if he decides to use my name, that he at least say true things and stick to the facts. I am a part of Likud and Yisrael Beytenu, and I will remain that way," Kachlon, who Bibi calls 'Moishe' in a yiddish pronouncement, said.
