In the 2013 elections for the Modi’in Illit municipality were held for the first time and Mayor Yaakov Gutterman was elected to a fourth term, with a majority of 85.5 percent. Prior to the election, he was serving at the behest of Gedolei Yisrael Shlita. Avraham Berger, a representative of the Bnei Torah party, opposed him. The elections were held simultaneously with the city council. Toward the 2018 elections, Gutterman tries to prevent the elections from taking place.

“We have an attentive ear with Yaakov Gutterman” said Councilman Shmuel Elyashiv of the Bnei Torah party, who wears a second hat as well, serving as director-general of the Peleg-affiliated Peles newspaper. (Bnei Torah is the political party of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita and represented in the media by HaPeles newspaper).

In 2013, representatives of the Peleg faction ran for the council for a first time and they received two seats. The current assessment is they will not drag the city to elections.

Elyashiv explained, “Gutterman meets our needs. Everything starts and ends wit him but a decision on elections will be nationwide. If a decision is made to run nationwide, then we will run in Modi’in Illit too”.

Bnei Torah is in opposition in the Modi’in Illit Council, and Elyashiv is optimistic, predicting they will gain a third seat in the next election, which will be given to Yechezkel Ariel. The second seat is held by Yehuda Shemtov. Council officials point out that while Bnei Torah is not a member of the city’s government, rather remaining in opposition, the members do not vote against the coalition.

Similar observations are heard from Deputy Mayor (Shas) Avner Amar, who explains he too receives “Whatever he requests” from Gutterman. Interestingly, Amar is the only Shas representative in government today as the second Shas representative, Golan Chassidi, is a member of the opposition too as he broke away.

A new opposition list is forming, headed by Yoni Mizrachi, who is also a member of Chassidi’s coalition. Amar insists they will not run their own list since they are aware they will not get enough votes to get in. In the 2013 elections, Mizrachi ran a list and received 700 votes, most from Hashmonaim and Ganei Modi’in, which are officially part of Modi’in Illit. Today however, this is not the case as they broke off and belong to the Binyamin Regional Council. Hence, the list does not have a chance according to him. Amar adds Shas is looking for a new representative to replace Chassidi.

In conclusion, Amar, who serves as a paid deputy mayor, wishes to clarify that he lives in Modi’in Illit during the week and not in his home in Ashdod. On Shabbos however, he returns to Ashdod. He adds whatever he is instructed to do by the Moetzas Gedolei Torah of Shas and if left up to him, he prefers to remain in Modi’in Illit all the time.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)