Pindrus Turns To Mayor Porush To Sign Petition To Postpone Elad Elections
Yitzchak Pindrus, whose candidacy in the Elad mayoral elections was disqualified by the courts, turned to Mayor Yisrael Porush in a letter, asking him to sign the petition to postpone elections in the city to permit fair elections.
“I heard what you said yesterday, as well as your father, Deputy Minister Meir Porush, expressing adamant opposition to the legal petition, as well as expressing sorrow over my candidacy being disqualified, depriving me of the possibility to run for mayor of Elad in line with the instruction and decision of Rabbanei Gedolei Hador Shlita,” said Pindrus in his letter.
The full story was covered in Tuesday’s HaMevaser and Hamodia, as well as in other media, quoting Porush expressing sorrow over the court’s decision. Pindrus cites how thousands of supporters are now seeking to postpone elections to permit Degel Hatorah to have a candidate, calling on both Mayor and Deputy Mayor Porush to sign the petition, to join the call to delay elections in Elad.
Deri Will Not Decide Regarding Request To Postpone Elections In Elad
The Cabinet on Tuesday, 14 Marcheshvan, placed the authority to postpone municipal elections in Elad in the hands of Likud Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, removing this authority from Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, chairman of the Shas party.
The upcoming municipal elections in Elad remains in the news as supporters of Yitzchak Pindrus, who has been disqualified from running for the city’s mayor, are now seeking to postpone the elections in the city until such time they can find another candidate to oppose Mayor Yisrael Porush, who seeks reelection. The High Court of Justice on Monday rejected a petition which Degel Hatorah and Shas hoped would reverse the lower court, and permit Pindrus to run. However, this did not occur and now, both Degel and Shas are left without a candidate in that city’s elections.
The residents backing Pindrus, numbering in the thousands, are turning to the Interior Ministry to use its authority to postpone elections in Elad to permit Degel Hatorah to get a new candidate. Pindrus opponents are uncomfortable with this as the Interior Minister, Aryeh Deri, happens to be the chairman of Shas. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit on Tuesday told the cabinet there is no legal reason that the authority for this decision cannot be placed in the hands of another minister.
On Monday, not long following the High Court decision, prominent attorney Tzvi Agmon, filed a letter calling to postpone the elections in Elad as explained above. He cited a case from 2003, in which the High Court of Justice approved delaying an election, adding the same should be the case in Elad today.
Bayit Yehudi chairman in Elad, Councilman Shai Natan, has already expressed strong objections against delaying elections in Elad. He sent his own letter via yet another prominent attorney, Aviad HaKohen, calling on Attorney General Mandelblit and Interior Minister Deri to have elections in Elad on Election Day, 21 Marcheshvan, without delay. They also called on Deri to remove himself from this decision due to obvious conflict of interest. Natan, who also led the battle to disqualify Pindrus, threatened legal action if they do not comply with his request.
High Court Reverses Decision Regarding Einat Kalish-Rotem in Haifa
The High Court of Justice has reversed a decision from the Election Administration of the Interior Ministry, which disqualified Haifa mayoral candidate Einat Kalish-Rotem.
Kalish-Rotem is being endorsed by the Degel Hatorah party in the Haifa mayoral race and she is now clear to run.
Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl: Vote for Moshe Leon
The Rav of Jerusalem’s Old City, HaGaon HaRav Avigdor Nebenzahl is calling on voters to elect Moshe Leon as the next mayor of Jerusalem. The rav also instructs his tzibur to vote for the Degel Hatorah list for city council. The rav explains his instructions are in line with the decision of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita.
Peleg Yerushalmi Backing Ze’ev Elkin in Jerusalem Mayoral Race
The Peleg Yerushalmi branch has announced it will be backing Minister Ze’ev Elkin’s bid in the Jerusalem mayoral race, which will give him 7,000-10,000 additional votes the experts predict. The Degel Hatorah chareidi litvish faction endorses Moshe Leon in the race, as does Shas. Agudas Yisrael endorses Yossi Deutsch in the mayoral race.
Rav Yosef Eliyahu Endorses Ze’ev Elkin
Rav Yosef Eliyahu Shlita, a son of Rishon L’Tzion HaGaon HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu ZT”L ZY”A and head of Beit Medrash L’Rabbanim Darchei Hora’ah has announced he endorses Ze’ev Elkin in the Jerusalem mayoral race.
List of Degel-Supported Candidates Nationwide
The following list is of the candidates running under the Degel Hatorah banner or backed by the party in the upcoming municipal elections around the country.
The major races include Rav Avraham Rubinstein (Bnei Brak), Rav Yaakov Gutterman (Modi’in Illit), Rav Moshe Abutbul (Beit Shemesh) and Moshe Leon (Yerushalayim).
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem/Photo Credit: קבוצת רוטרניק)
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