About a month after declaring his candidacy in the Jerusalem mayoral race, Moshe Leon is now officially backed by Likud/Beitenu in his bid to unseat Mayor Nir Barkat.

After declaring his candidacy signs began appearing in the city with the Likud/Beitenu logo that was challenged by Likud activists in the city. Earlier this week Yisrael Beitenu leader MK Avigdor Lieberman announced that it is now official, and Leon enjoys the support of his party as well as Likud. Prior to Lieberman’s announcement, Likud officials in the city demanded that Leon remove the party logo from his ads.

Interestingly, Leon, who is at odds with his former boss, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, was not the prime minister’s first choice. Netanyahu preferred to back the incumbent, Nir Barkat, who enjoys warm relations with the Prime Minister’s Office. However, politics dictated that Netanyahu back Leon, who served as his chief of staff during his first term as prime minister.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)