Efforts to divide Beit Shemesh are ongoing, and many residents who oppose the chareidi administration are pressuring Minister of the Interior Gideon Saar to agree to demands to divide the city into two, one area for chareidim and the remainder for the non-frum and dati leumi communities. In an effort to influence the Likud affiliated minister, many secular residents in the city are registering officially as members of that party.

The battle began when the chareidi incumbent, Shas affiliated Mayor Rabbi Moshe Abutbul emerged the victor in the mayoral race. Losing candidate Eli Cohen and supporters appealed the outcome and the Jerusalem District Court ordered new elections, accepting proof submitted to the court of election fraud. The secularists lost the runoff election as well, and now, they are working to have the city divided into two different municipalities, one for the chareidim and the second to be run by Eli Cohen. Councilman Moti Cohen who is a member of the Zionist camp is a leader in the battle to divide the city and he hopes if enough residents join Likud they will gather sufficient power from within to compel the minister’s hand.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)