Shas has intensified its efforts to counter the rising support of Otzma Yehudit party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir among ultra-Orthodox and traditional Jewish voters ahead of the upcoming elections. The move follows recent public criticisms from Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the Sephardi chief rabbi and spiritual leader of Shas, targeting Ben-Gvir.

With fewer than three weeks before voters head to the polls, Shas is focusing on reclaiming voters, particularly younger individuals influenced by the teachings of the late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, whose legacy underpins Shas’ religious and political identity. Party strategists view the growing appeal of Otzma Yehudit among haredi and traditional sectors as a significant challenge, prompting a recalibration of their campaign approach.

The party plans to place religious authorities at the forefront of its campaign messaging in the remaining weeks, with rabbis like Yosef leading public critiques of Ben-Gvir. Shas lawmakers, by contrast, are expected to maintain a lower profile in this phase, allowing religious figures to emphasize the party’s alignment with Ovadia Yosef’s spiritual teachings and to frame Otzma Yehudit’s positions as divergent from those values.

Insiders involved in the campaign indicated that this strategy was developed well before the current electoral period, with the party deliberately postponing its strongest critiques to maximize their effectiveness in the campaign’s final two weeks. Officials expressed concern that initiating such attacks earlier might have diluted their impact amid ongoing political developments and the broader electoral discourse.

Shas’ targeted campaign highlights the internal competition for the haredi and traditional vote in Israeli politics, reflecting broader tensions between centrist religious parties and more nationalist, right-wing factions like Otzma Yehudit. The coming weeks are expected to reveal whether Shas’ renewed focus on religious leadership and spiritual legacy will succeed in stemming voter erosion to Otzma Yehudit.