Aryeh Deri
Aryeh DeriYonatan Sindel/Flash90

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri on Wednesday night spoke about the difference in former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attitude towards Judaism and that of current Prime Minister Yair Lapid.

"Unlike Netanyahu, Lapid has turned secularism into a religion," Deri told Kol Barama Radio. "Netanyahu knows how to respect the status quo which has been in this country for decades. What Lapid, [Transportation Minister] Merav Michaeli (Labor), and Meretz want to do is to destroy every sign of Judaism here."

Deri also rejected the possibility that the haredi parties would join a government led by Defense Minister Benny Gantz (National Unity).

"Gantz's entire campaign is outrageous," Deri remarked. "There is no scenario like this, in which we will work with him. If we don't have 61 [Knesset seats], the only government that can be formed here is a government led by Lapid with the Arab parties."

Regarding the disagreements between his party and United Torah Judaism's MK Moshe Gafni, Deri said, "I will not get into unnecessary arguments with Moshe Gafni. We must not waste energy on things that are not important and which will not help the success of this fateful [elections] cycle. You need two to fight. He will not succeed in dragging Shas into this issue. This is my instruction: Throughout the campaign, to busy ourselves only with positive things."