While Beit Shemesh Mayor-elect Aliza Bloch is busy negotiating with the various parties towards forming a coalition government, Degel Hatorah Deputy Mayor, Moshe Muntag on Sunday evening came out against the Shlomei Emunim faction, which he blames for Moshe Abutbul losing the mayoral race. According to Muntag, “Shlomei Emunim betrayed us and the chareidi tzibur to obtain jobs”, citing Shlomei supporters secretly voted for Bloch and not Abutbul, resulting in his defeat.
“To my profound sorrow, it was confirmed that Shlomei Emunim had betrayed us during the elections,” said Muntag, a Degel Hatorah councilman in Beit Shemesh. He added that at first, he and others did not wish to believe it but not, it is clear to all that this is what occurred, and this is what led to Abutbul’s defeat at the polls, losing by 533 votes.
Muntag announces that during elections, Shlomei Emunim “closed a deal” with Dr. Aliza Bloch, the independent candidate backed by all the non-chareidim, a deal that included either voting for her or at the very least, having Shlomei supporters not vote for Abutbul, abstaining. In exchange, Shlomei Emunim officials will receive senior posts in the new administration. Muntag feels that Shlomei Emunim will be the only chareidim entering a coalition headed by Bloch. “This act will not be forgiven” he adds, with a senior Degel official adding, “We will oppose them as a vigorous opposition on every matter they try to pass. These people will not be permitted to benefit from their traitorous actions, betraying the entire chareidi tzibur, and they will not have benefit from a moment in the coalition.”
So, what caused Muntag and his colleagues to accuse Shlomei Emunim – the fact that efforts were made to unite all 13 chareidi factions into a single united unit, including the Peleg and Chabad, amid the realization this would provide a strong negotiating reality if there was a chareidi front against Aliza Bloch. However, the lack of trust between the chareidi parties brought that naïve vision to a quick end, with some faction representatives conducting talks behind the backs of other chareidi parties.
Shlomei Emunim denies the accusations, explaining Muntag is pained over the loss and the reality that now, he will not be in charge of the Planning & Construction portfolio in the incoming administration. “Chazal says כל הפוסל במומו פוסל,” Shlomei Emunim concluded.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
Instead of Foolish finger-pointing and backstabbing
Get your act together
I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.
George S. Patton
Agreed. Problem is that the Shasniks don’t yet realize that they have hit the bottom by losing Beit Shemesh; they still think it is someone else”s fault. They refused to join together with the Porush faction of Shlomei Emunim before the elections in Yerushalayim and Elad but they still expected blind allegiance from them in Beit Shemesh. Guys, politics doesn’t work that way. Sorry Mr. Muntag you have been done out of your lucrative position supervising Planning and Construction, but that’s how it goes. Every muntag and donestig there are surprises in politics. By lucrative, I, of course, mean in the sense of the spiritual satisfaction gained in helping so many people within the fold, not chas veshalom anything else.
CAN WE PLEASE STOP FOSTERING THE LOSHON HARA AND SINAT CHINAM BY PUBLISHING STORIES LIKE THIS ABOUT ELECTIONS? It is over. Enough!
according to a charadi friend of mine who lives in Beit Shemesh, Abutbul was very corrupt and did very little for the city and ignored the needs of many residents and did not provide decent services. A mayor is not there only for his friends and family, but for the needs of all the citizens.