Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef Launches Sharp Election Attack Against Itamar Ben Gvir

The sharp attack by Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef against Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, published by Shas, launches a campaign strategy planned for the final weeks before the Knesset elections. Shas has grown increasingly concerned about Otzma Yehudit gaining traction among young Haredi and traditional voters, including those raised on the heritage of the late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.

With less than three weeks remaining until the vote, the party intends to intensify its campaign for these crucial demographics. The attacks on Ben Gvir will be spearheaded by prominent rabbis, led by Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, while Shas MKs remain in the background. The move aims to reclaim voters drawn to Otzma Yehudit by emphasizing steadfast commitment to Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's teachings.

Campaign insiders note that the strategy was meticulously prepared in advance, but leadership decided to hold back the harsher messaging until the final fortnight. The fear was that an early offensive would lose momentum amid the constant flow of campaign events. The upcoming hillula of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef is expected to serve as a launchpad for a sustained wave of rabbinical statements continuing through election day.

The Halachic Dispute

Shas distributed remarks from Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef lambasting Ben Gvir for visiting the Temple Mount in defiance of rulings by the Chief Rabbis, including his father. "Some people speak and attract youths with various slogans, but in practice, what do they do? Nothing. Just talk, and the youth get excited," the Rabbi stated. He recounted warning against Temple Mount ascents during his weekly lesson at the Yazdim synagogue, only for Ben Gvir to visit the site the very next day.

"I warned several times that it is forbidden to ascend the Temple Mount... and the next day, that man Ben Gvir ascended against the opinion of all Torah giants across all circles," he said. In unreleased footage from a family event, the Rabbi reportedly used harsher terms, condemning the defiance as arrogant disregard for rabbinical authority.

The Battle for Young Sephardic Voters

Shas's concerns are grounded in polling data. A Channel 12 survey conducted by Midgam showed that 13% of first-time voting Haredi youth expressed support for Otzma Yehudit, compared to 20% for Shas and 45% for United Torah Judaism. While not a massive defection, the numbers highlight a fierce generational contest.

Ben Gvir has rejected the criticism, accusing Haredi parties of deflecting from their own administrative failures and appealing directly to disillusioned traditional voters through nationalist messaging. As the campaign enters its home stretch, Shas is doubling down on its narrative as the sole guardian of authentic Sephardic tradition.