The Shas party has released a video in which Rabbi Ovadia Yosef ztz”l is shown announcing before an audience that he is appointing Aryeh Deri to head Shas.
The rabbi cites compliments given to Deri by the late Rabbi Shach and detailing the assistance Deri arranged for Shas's institutions when he was Interior Minister.
The rabbi adds that when Deri was sent to jail, he deposited his position as party head with the party – and that now the time has come to return the deposit to its rightful owner.
The video appears to refute claims by supporters of Deri's nemesis, Eli Yishai, who claim they have a video in which the rabbi said he was forced to endorse Deri through the use of pressure and threats. It remains to be seen if Yishai will release this video in response to Shas's video.