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Jeremy Gimpel, who holds the 14th slot on the Bayit HaYehudi list, is the latest target in cross-party efforts to disqualify one another. Gimpel, today 33, was born in Atlanta in the USA and moved to Eretz Yisrael at the age of 11. He represents the English speaking population of the Bayit HaYehudi supporters on the list.

Tzipi Livni’s The Movement Party has petitioned Central Election Committee Chairman Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, seeking to have Gimpel disqualified for his remarks, mentioning blowing up Har Habayis.

See Gimpel as he addresses a Florida audience comprised of Christian supporters of Israel in the Fellowship Church in 2011. [VIDEO BELOW]

When questioned about the remarks, which now threaten his Knesset dream, Gimpel told the media “it was a joke to liven up the lecture” Haaretz quotes him as saying.

In actuality, Gimpel was speaking about Sefer Ezra, describing a time period in history when few Jews came to Eretz Yisrael. Towards driving home the point, he made an analogy, simply stating imagine if the Har Habayis was blown up and the Beis HaMikdash was being constructed, everyone would come!

In that same address, he compared the time period of Achashverosh, who stopped construction to that of US President Barak Obama and the building freeze. The Movement is now trying to portray Gimpel as advocating blowing up Har Habayis and the Muslim holy sites.

Party leader Naftali Bennett explained the analogy of King Achashverosh and President Obama does since they are both world leaders. Regarding blowing up the Muslim holy sites, he stated it was an analogy in jest, nothing more.

A resident of N’vei Daniel in Gush Etzion, Gimpel also entertains Christian groups in his home, but denies allegations that he accepts funding from Messianic Jewish organizations.

If the Central Election Committee does not disqualify Gimpel, he does have a chance of getting into the 19th Knesset as polls signal the 14th spot on the Bayit HaYehudi is a realistic one, albeit borderline.

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(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)