Degel Blames Shlomei Emunim For Machlokes Ahead Of Municipal Elections

With municipal elections in Israel about ten days away, Tuesday, October 30th, the machlokes between Degel Hatorah and Shlomei Emunim in some municipalities seems to be escalating. Sadly, despite each party insisting they are doing what is best for its constituents, the division of the chareidi vote in the past has opened the door for a secular candidate to emerge the victor, as occurred in Jerusalem in the race when Nir Barkat ran for his first term.

Degel Hatorah leader MK Moshe Gafne continues to insist that Shlomei Emunim is not adhering to the agreement in Elad, where Degel feels the candidate should be from the Litvish party. However, Shlomei Emunim feels Degel violated the agreement and therefore, its candidate, the outgoing mayor, Yisrael Porush, will run for another term.

Degel in Betar Illit on Monday evening, spoke of the tensions between Mayor Meir Rubinstein and Degel representatives, as Rubinstein refused to give up the building portfolio to Degel representative Dudi Zlatz, as the party feels he should.

Regarding Elad, Gafne insists there was an agreement in Elad, written “in black on white” and therefore, Porush should not be running for reelection, yet Shlomei Emunim prefers to do as it wishes, ignoring the agreement that Degel abided by in the last election, backing Porush bid for the mayoral post.

Gafne’s criticism does not end with Elad but blames Shlomei for the machlokes in Beit Shemesh since it, Shlomei Emunim, decided to connect the Beit Shemesh race to the machlokes in Elad. Gafne explains that Degel did not walk away there but held a lottery as per instructions from HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein Shlita to determine who the candidates will be. He added then HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita intervened and decided the candidate in Beit Shemesh will be the incumbent, Shas-affiliated Mayor Moshe Abutbul. Gafne explains that in line with instruction from Gedolei Torah, Degel will not have its own mayoral candidate in Beit Shemesh, but once again, there is no making peace with Shlomei Emunim.

Gafne insists that machlokes is not good for the chareidi tzibur, blaming Shlomei Emunim for fueling the fires of machlokes and it must fall in line and act in the best interests of the chareidi tzibur at large as Degel is doing.

PHOTOS: Mayoral Candidate Yossi Deutsch Speaks Of The Jewish People’s Historical Right To Yerushalayim

Jerusalem mayoral candidate Yossi Deutsch, the only chareidi mayoral candidate in the race, responded to the finding of the unique stone inscription dating to Bayis Sheni mentioning Jerusalem, written in Hebrew letters, and using the spelling as we know it today.

“An exciting discovery for every Jerusalemite and Jew. Only those who know how to protect their past can defend their future. The discovery of the inscription in Jerusalem reminds us again of the fact that we have been here for a long time. The inscription reveals a flourishing industrial center for pottery near Jerusalem. When we break the freeze and open the industrial zone in Atarot, we will continue to practice a 2,000-year tradition. The discovery reminds us of our deep commitment to Jerusalem and it goes straight to the soul of a Jew in the world. Because Jerusalem is the soul of all of us, and we are all together the soul of Jerusalem.”

Degel Supported Candidate In Municipal Elections In Haifa Disqualified By The Interior Ministry

The Election Administration of the Interior Ministry in the Haifa area informed Einat Kalish-Rotem, a candidate supported by Degel Hatorah for mayor of Haifa against Mayor Yona Yahav, that she is not eligible to run in the upcoming municipal elections.

According to a report in “Globes”, the assumption is that she is being disqualified for technical reasons that may be worked out, but at the same time, Kalish-Rotem will have to take the matter to the Haifa District Court in its capacity as an administrative court, which may take time. Elections are scheduled for October 30, 2018.

The matter became evident after two mayoral candidate, Einat Kalish-Rotem and Yisrael Savion submitted their candidacies from the same party, Labor, and now, they will both have to take their case to court.

Labor Party attorney Guy Bossi prepared the applications for the two candidates in the party in Haifa: Einat Kalish-Rotem is supported by the party as well as by the head of the party’s local branch. Veteran Laborite Yisrael Savyon, caused the disqualification, which Kalish Rotem hopes will only be temporary.

The Labor Party said in response: “The mistake is not only in Haifa, the party’s lawyer erred in nine cities, and there is a technical error. According to legal opinions, the Central Elections Committee will approve everyone.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Candidate’s Facebook page)