According to a Ladaat.net report, Jerusalem mayoral candidate Rav Meir Porush on Tuesday’s expanded his campaign by reaching out to the secular voters via an internet media conference.

Porush vows to do his utmost to preserve the integrity of the capital, to torpedo all efforts towards entering into negotiations that would lead to compromises regarding Yerushalayim’s borders.

Regarding fears of electing a chareidi mayor, Porush stated that five years ago they spoke of fears of a chareidi mayor and the election of Mayor Lupoliansky has done nothing to change the status quo. He added he knows there are people who are feeding the fires of opposition, seeking to scare non-chareidi voters into the possible ramifications of electing a chareidi mayor.

Regarding the continued emigration from the capital, Porush stated the trend existed prior to Lupoliansky’s term, and it is a complex issue not at all connected to the mayor being chareidi, a problem that demands the attention of the national government. He stated it was he who in 2001 brought a bill to Knesset to make a NIS 110,000 housing grant available to eligible buyers, realizing the negative migration, but the bill to this very day remains bogged down in the treasury.

The mayoral hopeful vowed to work to bring back thousands to the city, Dati Leumi, secular and chareidim, which he will accomplish by pushing a badly-needed building plan.

He used the forum to thank Mayor Lupoliansky for the last five years, stating “I will run and will be successful”.

In response to a Channel 2 question, the candidate stated the he is sorry over the diverseness in the chareidi camp and he will ask mechila from Rav Elyashiv Shlita for any unintentional acts that might be interpreted as inappropriate on his part.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)