Despite his best efforts, Jerusalem mayoral candidate, MK Ze’ev Elkin failed to earn chareidi support as both Shas and Degel Hatorah are backing Moshe Leon. The chassidim, Agudas Yisrael, are backing Yossi Deutsch. This means that once again, the chareidim are splitting the vote, which only serves to strengthen the non-religious candidate, in this case, Ofir Berkowitz.

In response to the decision by Shas and Degel Hatorah, Berkowitz released the following message: “If Jerusalem does not belong to everyone, it will not exist. Leon has received the support of Shas and Degel Hatorah, and Elkin is in a desperate pursuit of the chareidi parties, but the Jerusalem public is with me”.

He added, “While Leon and Elkin neglect the Zionist, national religious, and the working non-represented chareidim, Jerusalem under my leadership will act in partnership, for the benefit of everyone, including everyone, side by side and not at each other’s expense.”

After learning of the parties backing Leon in the race, candidate Elkin stated, “After they denied [they will back Leon] and hid for many months, Deri and Lieberman have revealed their plan, to try to take control of Jerusalem by backing Moshe Leon’s effort once again, a candidate whose support among voters according to the surveys in in the single digits.

“Unfortunately, the good of Jerusalem is not in their minds, but political deals and foreign interests that endanger our future here in Jerusalem. Deri and Lieberman were the ones who exerted tremendous pressure to prevent me from running for mayor and failed. Deri and Lieberman exerted great pressure on the prime minister so that he would not support me and failed. Why did they try so hard to hurt my candidacy? Because they know that I’m the only candidate to win them.

“Now is our time, dear residents of Jerusalem, members of all parties, to unite and prove to them that this package will not pass.

“Together we will beat them!”

After Shas and Degel Hatorah announced their support for Moshe Leon in the Jerusalem mayoral race, and not for the chareidi candidate from Agudas Yisrael, Yossi Deutsch, Agudas Yisrael officials are now planning its response, which may manifest itself on more than one front.

Instead of backing the Degel Hatorah candidate, Avraham Rubinstein in the Bnei Brak mayoral race, Agudah may announce Chanoch Zeibert will run for another term.

Ladaat News quotes an official from Agudas Yisrael anonymously, explaining The Committee of Eight will soon convene to discuss the latest developments and how to respond. One possibility that will be weighed is Deutsch dropping out of the race in Jerusalem in return for a commitment from Ze’ev Elkin that he will appoint Deutsch as the paid deputy mayor under him if successful in his campaign. Hence, the chareidim would be competing against one another via Elkin and Leon.

Another possibility to be discussed is competing against the Degel candidate in the Bnei Brak mayoral race by permitting Mayor Zeibert, who is a Gerrer Chossid, to run for another term against Degel’s candidate, Rubinstein.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)