Jerusalem mayoral candidate Moshe Leon’s team stated that leading dati leumi posek Rabbi Shlomo Aviner Shlita does not endorse Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat. Barkat is the candidate of the dati leumi community and therefore, Leon’s words came as a surprise to many for he is the chareidi candidate.

In fact, it was not Leon himself who made the remark but the number four person on his team, Alisha Peleg, in remarks to Kol Chai Radio. Peleg told the chareidi radio that to the best of his knowledge; Rav Aviner has done a total turnaround and no longer backs Barkat.

It did not take more than a few minutes until host Goel Vaknin read Rav Aviner’s response on the air. “We understand the Leon is extremely pressured regarding the race as dozens of senior dati leumi rabbonim from all factions of the community have voiced their support for Barkat as a result of the long standing relationship with him over the years. This however is not a reason to lie outright and to degrade the rabbonim for one’s own political gain by misleading the public. This is a direct continuation of the school of deal-making of Aryeh Deri and Avigdor Lieberman from which Leon comes. Jerusalem residents do not wish to return to the dark days in which such deal-making ran the city.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)