A senior official in the Ashkenazic-haredi United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party on Thursday morning told Israel National News - Arutz Sheva that Shas chief Aryeh Deri is the driving force behind an attempt by UTJ's Degel Hatorah faction to cancel the haredi parties' support of the judicial reform.
According to the official Deri is serving as the emissary of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling on Degel leader MK Moshe Gafni (UTJ) to abandon the judicial reform, including the issues related to passing the Draft Law.
The official also said that Deri is constantly influencing Gafni on many issues, by means of persuasive but unclear language and a "slick tongue," in an attempt to persuade him to cave to all of Netanyahu's demands - not just on the issue of the judicial reform.
"It seems that Netanyahu is seeking a way to distance himself from the issue of judicial reform without needing to deal with the internal response in the Likud party," the official told Israel National News. "Instead, he aims to pass the responsibility to the haredi parties."
The official added that many of the party members are not happy with what they consider to be "Gafni's admiration" of Deri. He also emphasized that Deri is relying on Degel Hatorah, since he knows that Agudat Yisrael, the second faction in UTJ, will not agree.
"Without Degel Hatorah, Deri is not 'worth anything' politically," the source added. "Therefore, Gafni must not cave to Deri."