The High Court of Justice on Sunday ruled on a petition filed by Tiveria Mayor Ron Kobi, seeking to prevent the Interior Ministry from removing him from office for failing to pass a city budget in five attempts. The court ruled in Kobi’s favor, giving him an extension until September 30th, after Knesset elections. This is a major blow to the religious and chareidi parties in the city, who thought they have succeeded in ridding themselves of Kobi by voting against the city budget each time a vote was taken.

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, Kobi’s political nemesis, asked for a week to study the court’s ruling before responding.

At the end of the hearing, Court President, Justice Esther Hayut stated that the state must authorize the court’s recommendation by August 5th, that Kobi head a committee that will step in to replace the city council until such time he appears at a hearing in October, to permit him opportunity to pass a budget.

The proposal of the Interior Ministry was to appoint a committee of public officials to mange the city instead of the city council that was dispersed, and at the same time, to hold the hearing for Kobi, in order to remove him from his post.

In the course of discussion, Justice Hayut suggested to the representatives of the state: “We appointed members of the committee instead of the council members, who were dispersed, to approve the budget while leaving the mayor [to head the committee] to give him a chance.

Hayut also addressed “problematic statements by the minister who is supposed to decide on his continued tenure,” referring to Shas chairman, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, who has spoken out harshly in reference to Kobi.

Justice Meni Mazuz added, “There are serious conflicts of interests, and when it joins an election period, it is inconceivable to me that a hearing will be held under the current conditions”, sending a harsh message of disapproval to Deri.

A smiling Kobi commented after the hearing, “Today, we see clearly that the state should have understood it cannot do what it wants. The High Court ruled today clearly that the Minister of the Interior created a clear conflict of interests with me. Political and personal conflict of interests. Deri received an impressive lesson in democracy today”.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)