"Unless a technical problem arises I believe municipal
elections in Jerusalem, Haifa and Or Akiva should be held as
soon as possible. This is a democratic procedure that is
greatly needed," Interior Minister Avraham Poraz (Shinui)
told a Knesset plenum last week in response to a series of
proposals on arranging elections, indicating he thinks they
should be held June 3. All three cities are currently being
run by interim mayors after their previous mayors were
elected to the Knesset.
The chareidi community feels that part of the reason to
advance the elections is the fact that Jerusalem now has its
first chareidi mayor. (Note: It had religious mayors in the
past but they were not from chareidi parties.)
Poraz noted two technical hurdles that must be overcome. "The
first technical obstacle is updating the voters' list.
According to a recent amendment, 17-year- olds are also
eligible to vote, although the minimum age for participation
in Knesset elections is 18. The second thing is that in the
case of such large cities, and together with Or Akiva [Haifa]
becomes even larger, it would be unreasonable not to hold
elections in the IDF as well. Then you have to hold elections
at least in all units in which the commanding officers cannot
let all of the soldiers out on leave to vote."
He reported that following the Knesset plenum he was
scheduled to meet in his Ministry with IDF officials, voter
registration officials and other figures "in order to check
whether there would be any technical problem in arranging
early elections."
The Interior Minister rejected claims that elections should
be postponed because of budget constraints. "The question of
whether or not there is money, whether or not budget funds
are available, this cannot change anything significantly
because even if the Finance Ministry or the national Treasury
saves this amount and transfers it for use a few months
later, we will not have accomplished anything. Nobody is
saying the elections should be called off entirely and there
will never be elections. Saving the money for two or three
months is not a major consideration," he said.
United Torah Judaism MK Rabbi Yisroel Eichler denounced
remarks about the conduct of Jerusalem Mayor Rabbi Uri
Lupoliansky, who recently replaced Ehud Olmert, and the anti-
chareidi incitement that accompanied his assumption of the
post. Rabbi Eichler mentioned an editorial published in one
of the leading newspapers that claimed the large parties have
abandoned Jerusalem. "They said Jerusalem was abandoned. To
whom? To Uri Lupoliansky, a well-known individual and the
founder of Yad Sarah, an organization that helps all citizens
and most of whose volunteers and drivers are not chareidi . .
. He was treated with [discrimination] and hatred indicative
of an evil spirit prevailing in the public that must be
pulled out from the roots," said Eichler.
He concluded by expressing hope that the municipal elections,
whenever they may be, "are relevant elections, and not
chas vesholom like the Knesset elections in which
people rode in on waves of hatred. There are plenty of
important issues to ride, not just sinas Yisroel."
On the same day Poraz also told the Knesset plenum, "A local
council cannot decide categorically to prohibit the sale of
pork in its jurisdiction." He made clear that if an
"unreasonable" local law "that imposes excessive limitations"
is laid on his desk, "the Interior Minister has an obligation
not to approve it."
Poraz claims the law does not permit the legislation of a
sweeping local regulation on this issue. He says the local
authority has the legal authority to impose limitations, but
only if they are reasonable limitations that can stand the
test of legality would there be no reason for the Interior
Minister not to grant approval.
MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni told Poraz that he pledged loyalty to
the State of Israel and its laws and that he cannot uphold a
policy that differs from the law and from decisions rendered
in the Knesset.
