The Bayit Yehudi party, which backed Likud candidate Eli Cohen against the chareidi incumbent, Moshe Abutbul, in the Beit Shemesh elections is now demanding new elections.
After consulting with party leader Minister Naftali Bennett, the party sent an official letter to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein calling for new elections in light of apparent widespread election corruption.
The letter states this is not just a matter of one incident or another, pointing out the election in Beit Shemesh is indicative of an alarming trend regarding elections in certain areas.
Speaking to Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) earlier this week Minister of the Interior Gideon Saar stated if there was election fraud it was minimal and in no way impacted the outcome of the election in that city. Saar stated “I am not convinced to put it mildly” that the election outcome was impacted by foul play.
In a related matter, the last of the seven suspects in the alleged identify card fraud case in the city was released by the Jerusalem Magistrate Court on Thursday afternoon, 27 Cheshvan. The suspect remains under house arrest
Commenting on the demands for new elections, MK Moshe Gafne stated that it is not about corruption in an election but it is about the non-chareidi tzibur in the city cannot tolerate the fact that a chareidi mayor was reelected. Gafne added that even if there was election law-breaking, the law directs the matter to be adjudicated in a court of law and not new elections.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
If there was voter fraud (and it seems that there was), certainly, there should be new elections. But with all due respect, rumor and newspaper reports are insufficient sources upon which to base such an unusual act. The proper way to proceed is through an official investigation. If such an investigation finds that there was voter fraud then you can – and should – call for new elections. But to invalidate an election without official findings of voter fraud would be undemocratic and a dangerous precedent to boot. Slow down. Do this properly.
Wow!!! tell them to get on with life.sounds like fourth grade losing an ARM wrestle.
#2 if the guy used a sledge hammer rather than an ARM, there would be arm wrestle fraud.
#3 you really got the point!! By any chance were u one of the guys over looking the stole ballots and only realize after u lost?!!@?!