Modi’in Illit mayoral candidate Yaakov Meir Feldman, who is challenging the incumbent, Mayor Yaakov Gutterman, reports he has received threats by people identifying themselves as members of the Gutterman campaign.

If the municipal elections are held as scheduled after the Tishrei Yomim Tovim, it will mark the first municipal election in the city since its founding in 1996. The overwhelming support for Gutterman in the past has resulted in his reappointment without elections.

According to Feldman, who lives in the city since its establishment, numbers do not lie and the residents feel it is time for a change.

Feldman is quoted by Kikar Shabbos explaining the last time he announced his candidacy; he obtained a sufficient number of signatures to run in the race. On the night before elections two masked men arrived at his home and stole the signed lists, disqualifying his candidacy. He explains that he already has enough signatures and hopes this will not occur again. He points the finger of blame for the last incident at Gutterman, with Kikar explaining the Gutterman campaign knows if Feldman runs he has a good chance of unseating the veteran mayor.

Another candidate appears to be Yoni Mizrachi, who hopes to attract the support of Sephardi voters. He has been an activist fighting discrimination against Sephardim in mosdos in the city. Mizrachi has established the “Chareidim” party and hopes to secure his place in City Hall to make many changes. He insists the residents are fed up of the old administration. From Mizrachi’s perspective, the lack of elections in the city has resulted in disaster and he hopes the upcoming election will result in a change in the city’s leadership.

And yet another candidate is Tzafrir Sharoni, who is affiliated with the Bayit Yehudi party. He is backed by the residents of Ganei Modi’in. Sharoni does not rule out his faction backing Gutterman for mayor, perhaps contingent on promises for a certain number of places around the city council table.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)