Elections in Beit Shemesh: Shas chairman Minister Aryeh Deri is teaming with Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman in their support of Moshe Abutbul for reelection as mayor of Beit Shemesh. They are opposing Moshe Gafne, who is backing Deputy Minister Meir Porush, who seeks the post.
Gafne refuses to join Deri in backing the incumbent, Shas’ Abutbul, explaining his continuing in the post is not a given.
Deri on Thursday, 9 Shevat announced “Abutbul will be the mayor following the next elections,” calling on the head of Degel Hatorah to refrain from bringing machlokes to the election. Visiting the city on Thursday, Deri reiterated, “It is unfortunate to bring machlokes, for we all know the outcome and Abutbul will continue running the city. I know Rav Litzman is on board with us, but I am calling to Rav Moshe Gafne and Rav Meir Porush to please join as well”.
Deri went on to explain that even in cities where the mayor is not frum, they do not try to replace him for as long as he is doing a good job, which is not the case here regarding Mayor Abutbul. He insists chareidi Jewry owes him a debt of gratitude for what he has accomplished in Beit Shemesh and he must be supported rather than placing a candidate to divide the chareidi camp.
Deri made his position clear, that he prefers a peaceful election process but whatever the case may be, he is backing Abutbul and he remains confident that the incumbent will be elected to another term, enjoying widespread chareidi support.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
ANOTHER term of corruption, graft & total inefficiency? Abutbol only cares about power…. the city is falling apart (literally), even in the new areas where I live.
There’s no safety for children going to & from school. No hospital. If we see police in Gimmel, we say Shechiyanu. Arabs are sleeping in empty apartments they just built (badly, of course.) Water & electricity are sometimes hit & miss. Traffic is a nightmare. No facilities for teens. And most importantly…. Abutbol fuels the fires of attacks on women, soldiers & police by refusing to act. He is a moral coward.
I would rather vote for a secular but respectful candidate than either Abutbol or Porush.
This is misleading. Rav Abutbul is chareidi.