Party head MK Eli Yishai is said to have cemented his hold on the party leadership, having led Shas from 11 MKs in the outgoing Knesset to 13 in this week's elections.
Yishai's leadership was always clouded by the hovering shadow of the legendary Aryeh Deri, who was forced to resign when he was convicted - unjustly, his supporters still say - of taking bribes. Deri resigned from the Knesset and from the party leadership in May 1999, and Yishai assumed political leadership shortly afterwards.
Deri began his prison sentence in September 2000, and was released from jail in July 2002. He has remained out of politics since then, but has never said that this arrangement was permanent. A hard-core group of his supporters has always let it be known that Deri might be on the way back.
Shas' success in this week's elections, however, has shown that Yishai's leadership may no longer be seen as a temporary phenomenon.
MK Yaakov Litzman, too, as leader of the United Torah Judaism party - which grew from 5 to 6 Knesset seats - also cemented his position this week. He had faced great opposition for his behavior during the Disengagement votes, when he did not sufficiently adhere to rabbinic orders to oppose it. He has now weathered this and other storms, however.
The support of hareidi Torah giant Rabbi Aharon Shteinman of Bnei Brak, who issued a clear directive not to stay home but to vote for UTJ, was also greatly instrumental in the party's success.
Both UTJ and Shas have not ruled out joining a Kadima government, despite Prime Minister-designate Olmert's intention to unilaterally withdraw from large areas of Judea and Samaria.
Shas sources say the party will demand the Interior, Housing, and Labor and Welfare ministries. At the same time, Shas MK Yitzchak Cohen, appearing on the Knesset channel, said his party would not support another unilateral disengagement, by ruling of Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef.
When fellow studio-guest MK Natan Sharansky (Likud) asked Cohen if Shas plans to join the government and then simply quit when the disengagement is voted upon - thus enabling the disengagement - Cohen said he did not understand the question.
Yishai's leadership was always clouded by the hovering shadow of the legendary Aryeh Deri, who was forced to resign when he was convicted - unjustly, his supporters still say - of taking bribes. Deri resigned from the Knesset and from the party leadership in May 1999, and Yishai assumed political leadership shortly afterwards.
Deri began his prison sentence in September 2000, and was released from jail in July 2002. He has remained out of politics since then, but has never said that this arrangement was permanent. A hard-core group of his supporters has always let it be known that Deri might be on the way back.
Shas' success in this week's elections, however, has shown that Yishai's leadership may no longer be seen as a temporary phenomenon.
MK Yaakov Litzman, too, as leader of the United Torah Judaism party - which grew from 5 to 6 Knesset seats - also cemented his position this week. He had faced great opposition for his behavior during the Disengagement votes, when he did not sufficiently adhere to rabbinic orders to oppose it. He has now weathered this and other storms, however.
The support of hareidi Torah giant Rabbi Aharon Shteinman of Bnei Brak, who issued a clear directive not to stay home but to vote for UTJ, was also greatly instrumental in the party's success.
Both UTJ and Shas have not ruled out joining a Kadima government, despite Prime Minister-designate Olmert's intention to unilaterally withdraw from large areas of Judea and Samaria.
Shas sources say the party will demand the Interior, Housing, and Labor and Welfare ministries. At the same time, Shas MK Yitzchak Cohen, appearing on the Knesset channel, said his party would not support another unilateral disengagement, by ruling of Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef.
When fellow studio-guest MK Natan Sharansky (Likud) asked Cohen if Shas plans to join the government and then simply quit when the disengagement is voted upon - thus enabling the disengagement - Cohen said he did not understand the question.