The Ministerial Committee is expected to discuss the proposal to expand Jerusalem to include outlying cities under a new bid to create a “Greater Jerusalem”. However, from statements made, it appears that the Charedi faction of United Torah Judaism (UTJ) will negate the proposed bill in its current form.

According to Channel 2 News, Minister Yaakov Litzman and MK Moshe Gafni have announced that they will oppose the proposed bill.

Currently, the bill allows for the annexation of surrounding towns and cities to fall under the municipal jurisdiction of Jerusalem. The UTJ faction is against the bill as they foresee it as diluting the political power of the Chareidi parties in the city. The feeling is that adding nearby towns that include large populations of secular and national religious residents, will dilute the voting power fo the Charedim in municipal elections.

The current draft of the bill includes the annexation of Ma’aleh Adumim, Givat Ze’ev, Beitar Illit, Efrat and parts of Gush Etzion to the municipal authority of Jerusalem. The residents in these areas would have the right to vote in their own municipal election, as well as in the municipal election of Jerusalem as well.

In explaining his reasoning for proposing the bill, MK Yoav Kisch said: “the proposed law will return Jerusalem to its proper place as a symbol and as the heart of the Jewish nation. Furthermore, The addition of these cities will allow Jerusalem to maintain a balance in terms of demographic layout of the city.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)