Is Shas's new and much-talked-about slot, intended to convey a hug to soldiers and IDF personnel, intended primarily for the collapsing party's campaign needs?
According to a report today (Friday) by Ari Kalman on the i24 channel, Dror Amos, who was placed in sixth and most realistic place on the Shas list, is refusing at this stage to resign from his position as chairman of the Religious Council in Haifa.
Just yesterday, Amos went on unpaid leave, which ostensibly leaves him with the possibility of returning to his position later.
The move raises questions precisely because of his high position on the list: Shas' sixth place is considered realistic even in polls indicating the party's collapse, and if Amos is indeed preparing to serve as a member of Knesset, why does he insist on leaving the door open for his current position?
According to the report, it appears that he wants to maintain the option to return to office if necessary, but even this option may cause difficulty, since placing him on the Shas list created a clear and visible political affiliation with the party and will make it difficult for him to meet the conditions to remain in office.
Either way, the insistence on not resigning raises an interesting political question: Is Shas' new "soldiers' representative" indeed intended for the Knesset, or is his main role mainly in the campaign?
Dror Amos refused to respond to i24's inquiry.
In response to the question from Haredim 10 - whether Amos was appointed only for the purpose of the campaign, Shas responded: "The answer - he is not. He is on the Shas list for the Knesset.".
A response from the Ministry of Religious Services has not yet been received.
