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The Ailing Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Who Sought to Prevent Wars

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the first rabbi who ruled that preventing bloodshed takes precedence over keeping territories, is fighting for his life.

Aryeh Deri, (L), a political kingmaker and head of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, kisses the hand of the party's spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, at a women's conference March 16, a day before an Israeli court is due to rule in his fraud and bribery trial. Israeli Police are preparing for large protests by Shas supporters if the verdict goes against Deri, who has been on trial since 1993 on charges he illegally channelled government funds to Shas-affiliated organisations and pocketed some of the money
Aryeh Deri, (L), a political kingmaker and head of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, kisses the hand of the party's spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, March 16, 1999. — REUTERS

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