Former head of the Shas party Aryeh Deri appeared today before a parole committee. The decision will be announced next week. Deri has served half of his three-year term for fraud and breach of public trust. The new \"Deri Law,\" sponsored by Shas Party Knesset members, enables a prisoner to be released under certain conditions after serving half a sentence, as opposed to a one-third reduction which was the law until now. The Prison Authority has reportedly indicated that the former Shas leader has been a model prisoner.



The state prosecutor\'s office opposes releasing Deri now but said it would agree to a one-third reduction. Shas leader Minister Eli Yishai said in response that the prosecution is personally persecuting Deri.