While there are still residents in Beit Shemesh who are unwilling to make peace with the second election win of Mayor Rabbi Moshe Abutbul, the failed to bring out the masses for their most recent rally calling to divide the city.
After the incumbent won the mayoral race there was evidence of foul play, so much so that the Jerusalem District Court ordered new elections. That decision was held up by the Supreme Court. Mayor Abutbul won the runoff election too.
For the opponents it was a bitter defeat and many are now seeking to enlist support for pressuring the Ministry of the Interior to divide Beit Shemesh into two municipalities, one for chareidim and the other for the dati leumi and secular residents.
An atzeres was held by the opposition earlier this week and attendance was poor, limited to several dozen supporters. The opposition claims to have significant support but it would appear these supporters were apathetic to the cause earlier in the week or perhaps most residents are willing to make peace with the reality that Abutbul won in both elections.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
Who will decide where to draw the boundaries between the two new cities? Will residents in each neighborhood get to pick or will the supporters of the split unilaterally decide where to place the boundaries?
I really hope this doesn’t happen. Apart from a handful of Chassidic/Chareidi lunatics who are in their own little world of rioting, most people get on fine with each other. I respect my non-frum neighbors & I hope they respect me. I can’t stand Abutbol, I think he is divisive but I hope Bet Shemesh residents can work together to keep the essence of city the way it is, with better services for all.
Not sure your article is correct.
Seems as if Abutbol has not set up a diverse city council yet and has not started working with all factions of the city to build relationships, needs and infrastructure.
#2 – Isn’t the issue that the non-Charedi residents feel that Abutbul is truly only the Charedi mayor and doesn’t invest in them.
If that is the case then the cry for a separate municipality is understandable.
That said I hope they don’t succeed, it would set a dangerous precedent for Jerusalem.
I hope you all manage to get along together and honestly you have to live with the (local) govt you inflicted on yourself, according to “the media” BS had 50k eligible voters of which only 20k were associated with “the Charedi camp” [of course some of them didn’t vote Abitbul].
That means that close to 100% of “the Charedi camp” came out to vote while roughly 1/3 of of the other voters couldn’t be bothered.