Deri in the Jordan Valley
Deri in the Jordan ValleyUriel Greenfeld

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas) on Monday toured the Jordan Valley together with members of his party, and sent a message of support to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who left for Washington to meet US President Donald Trump and discuss the "deal of the century."

"We send support from here to the Prime Minister, who is on a mission for the nation, a historic mission, together with the US President, who is a true friend of Israel. We hope that today and tomorrow we will, G-d willing, be able to tell the nation of Israel that every part of this land is returning to Israeli sovereignty," Deri said.

Deri also called on the leaders of the center-left Blue and White party not to reject the initiative: "I don't know all the details but we are really waiting for this. I turn from here to Lieutenant General Benny Gantz (Blue and White) and his friends, [Blue and White leaders] Moshe Ya'alon and Gabi Ashkenazi and others: You know the security and diplomatic importance of this place - you fought here, you gave your lives for these places, many of your soldiers and friends fell in defense of this place. Use this opportunity and ignore all the considerations of elections and other things. Back the Prime Minister and President Trump. We'll take it. It's a shame to waste such an opportunity."

Turning to the other right-wing parties, Deri said: "If you grasp at too much, you retain nothing. Don't give the Prime Minister advice. Believe me, he is doing this in the best way possible. Control yourselves, so that we won't lose this opportunity for the sake of one headline or another. Control yourselves, wait until the Prime Minister returns and we know everything. Trust him. There is no one like him who wants to do the best for the nation of Israel and the Land of Israel. And keep your advice to yourselves right now."

"Don't pressure the Prime Minister because you think he can get something better. In the end, you can also lose great opportunities."

Criticizing New Right leader MK Ayelet Shaked for her criticism of the deal, Deri said: "First of all, there are no weapons. I'm not going to get into history. They're all young. Ayelet Shaked, as much as I appreciate her, during the period of Oslo I think she was playing Shabbat (Sabbath) mommy in preschool, if she was in a preschool where they had a Shabbat party."

"I suggest she learn the data. I opposed the agreement and only because of the late Sephardic Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's ruling did we refrain from the vote. In the Oslo B agreement, all Shas voted against it. So first of all, she should learn the history. Secondly, we're not attacking Yamina. Yamina is an important part of the bloc and we want to continue with it. All we said in our campaign was to increase support for the Prime Minister and say that we who initiated the idea of the right-wing bloc, will protect the right.

"For dozens of years we have been saying that we are not right and not left, we follow the path of the Torah and our great rabbis. As I said, the main thing is less talk, less promises and demonstrations, and more action. Today we have an opportunity which is not an issue of right or left."