According to a poll released on Monday, 10 Cheshvan 5774, a week ahead of the municipal elections, that Jerusalem mayoral candidate Moshe Leon is closing in on the incumbent, Mayor Nir Barkat.

The poll was conducted from 2-7 Cheshvan and it reveals Barkat leads with 44% of the vote but Leon is gaining as he earns 40% of the vote.

A weekend Magar Mochot poll showed Barkat leading with 43% of the vote compared to Leon’s 13%.

Some experts report that this signals that as many predicted would be the case, the chareidim will determine who the next mayor of Yerushalayim will be and if there is a large chareidi turnout, Leon may unseat Barkat. Rabbonim are reacting to the poll, calling on the bnei Torah tzibur at large to get out and vote for Leon.

Responding to the Magar Mochot poll Leon told Israel Radio on Tuesday, 11 Cheshvan that the poll is not legitimate and Maariv is behind it with an agenda to discourage his supporters to get out and vote due to the large lead enjoyed by Barkat. Leon explains that if a third of the eligible chareidi voters do not vote for him the race will be close but if they get out and vote for him as he hopes will be the case, he will unseat Barkat.

Leon adds “Just because Barkat mentions the word Givatayim to discredit me, voters are not about to forget how the mayor neglected their neighborhoods and so many essential services during his term in office.”

“Jerusalem received one-third of the transportation budget compared to cities in the center. 90,000 residents have left the city. He speaks of ‘neighborhoods’ as if there are thousands of people when in fact Pisgat Ze’ev for example has been ignored with its tens of thousands of residents. There is not a single swimming pool for that entire area. He worries about certain areas and ignores many neighborhoods as one can see by the abhorrent conditions that exist around the city. In addition, despite his promises to the contrary, housing prices in the city continue to climb.”

“Barkat continues to speak of ‘combinot’ (deal-making) while he is the champ. I would label him a career election law criminal as he ran for mayor twice and tramples on election law and election funding law, for he personally has no trouble paying for his campaign.

The poll released in the Tuesday 11 Cheshvan HaMevaser adds that among chareidi voters, Barkat received 35% of the vote and Leon 55% (plus 30% undecided). Among dati leumi voters, Barkat receives 58% and Leon 22% (plus 20% undecided). Among non-religious and traditional voters Barkat receives 65% and Leon 20% (plus 15% undecided).

The Barkat campaign responded with the same statement it has been releasing, that city residents are tired of the old days of deal-making and do not wish to place City Hall back in the hands of such people.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)