Aryeh Deri said on Wednesday evening, shortly after it was decided that he would share the leadership of the Shas party with Eli Yishai, “I had a conversation with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and immediately responded to his request that each of us give up for the sake of peace.

“No one lost here," said Deri. "We have all won. Israel won and our public won when it sees unity. Our public will have a strong leadership. We will represent the weaker layers of society, we will reduce gaps.”