Do not forget that the Sefardi Jews lived 1000 years amongst Arabs, and have become somewhat arabised. When they first came to Israel, the Sefardim were called mistaravim - "Arabised Jews".
The Sefardi Jew, even if he's been in Israel 3 generations, still thinks somewhat like an Arab. This has it's pros and cons.
Those Jews like Ovadia Yosef, who was born in old Iraq, are really Arabised.
Even though he knows Torah, Yosef prefers the company of reasonable Arabs than to be with brutha Haredim of the Ashkenazic persuasion! Hence he's prepared to cede land to Arabs - even to share Jerusalem - "Land for Peace" like Kohen Godol Shevna -also a great Torah scholar.
Nevertheless according to the Talmud they and all their devotees are both still labelled by Hashem as a kesher reshoyim!