In the lion's den

A press conference with candidate Moshe Lion on Tuesday afternoon revealed something that might disturb some of Lion’s supporters.

By P.C.
Moshe Lion (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Moshe Lion
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
A press conference with candidate Moshe Lion on Tuesday afternoon revealed something that might disturb some of Lion’s supporters. The posters that covered the walls of the headquarters at the Rav-Chen building in Talpiot Industrial Zone featured both Lion and Danny Bonfil, president of the Jerusalem district of the Histadrut, former president of the municipality’s employees’ organization and ex-convict (for corruption).
Bonfil, who joined haredi candidate Meir Porush against Nir Barkat 10 years ago, is now chief of staff, counselor and a powerful mentor behind Lion’s candidacy. Bonfil’s dowry cannot be disregarded by Lion, especially when this week’s poll gave him merely 11% of the votes. Not that Lion’s confidence that he can reverse the trend seems the least bit shaken, but the 70,000 workers and employees in Jerusalem who are all incorporated in the Histadrut who are responsive to Bonfil’s call cannot be disregarded. But it has its price, and Lion, apparently, is ready to pay it.
The press conference opened with Bonfil’s speech. He explained to the more than 200 people there – long-time and new supporters – what he, Bonfil, expected from them: to work for him (Bonfil) since he chose Lion as the true representative of their interests. During some 20 minutes, Bonfil explained that he chose Lion because, ”Jerusalem needs a Sephardi mayor” and “someone who will work for us” and “someone who is our brother and not like the candidate who comes from Gush Etzion” (hinting at Ze’ev Elkin and ignoring the fact that Lion moved to Jerusalem only five years ago) and so on.
On the possible candidacy of haredi Yossi Daitch, Bonfil explained, “He is our brother. If he had run, we would have worked for him, but I am telling you, he is not running, so we love him but we work for Lion.”
As if things were not clear enough, at the end of his speech, before handing over the microphone to Lion, Bonfil called a woman present in the audience and invited her to sit at Lion’s side, introducing her as the No. 3 on Lion’s list. The fact that Lion had just a few days ago proposed that place to another woman didn’t apparently bother Bonfil too much – and Lion didn’t utter a word.