Government leaders
Israeli ultra-Orthodox party thuds from kingmakers to election losers
For years the ultra-Orthodox party Shas figured in most of Israel's governments, whether led from the right or the left, hoping to use their consistent number of seats to advance the community's interests. But in last week's election, the party's clout collapsed as it lost nearly half of its seats, stung by disenchantment over Shas's alliance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.