Candidates file candidacy for Jerusalem mayoral race

Opposition leader Nir Barkat, Dan Birron, MK Meir Porush and billionaire Arkadi Gaydamak submit their candidacy to Jerusalem's municipal elections committee.

By SHELLY PAZ
barkat 298.88 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
barkat 298.88
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
The opening shot in the race for Jerusalem mayor was fired on Tuesday when all nominees filed their candidacy and finally put an end to the rumors. Opposition leader Nir Barkat, Dan Birron, MK Meir Porush and billionaire Arkadi Gaydamak submitted their candidacy to Jerusalem's municipal elections committee. Barkat, 49, head of the Jerusalem Shall Succeed faction, lost the mayoralty to Uri Lupolianski in June 2003. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Barkat was a successful businessman before joining the Jerusalem local council and heading its opposition The main issues Barkat promotes include the improvement of the city's education system, attracting new and foreign businesses , and expanding culture and sports activities in the capital. Gaydamak, 56, the Russian billionaire tycoon, is the same person who evacuated hundreds of Sderot residents to hotels in Eilat during the harshest Kassam attacks on the southern city and who invested his money where the government failed to offer solutions for its citizens. Gaydamak and his deputy, Yigal Amedi, came on Tuesday to submit their list "Tzedek Hevrati" (Social Justice) to the committee. "After many years of the city being neglected by so many people who spoke slogans and did nothing, a person like Gaydamak, who proved himself practically, has plans to turn Jerusalem into a business center, to improve east Jerusalem's infrastructures so it will be united for real, to convince young students not to leave the city by offering housing solutions and more jobs, is highly needed," Amedi told The Jerusalem Post. . Porush (United Torah Judaism), 57, a father of 12 and a former city council member, promises to work for the improvement of Jerusalem's education system and for housing solutions, while maintaining the Jewish character of the capital and maintaining the status quo between the city's secular and the haredi residents. Birron, a 68-year-old Jerusalemite, father of two and husband of veteran reporter Sari Raz from Channel 1, runs with the Green Leaf (Aleh Yarok) faction. His agenda is a more educated city, more art for the citizens of Jerusalem, and equality. "Jerusalem is the biggest city in Israel, and the secular sector is still the largest here, but it has no proper representation," Birron said. "We plan to be the voice of the secular majority." The municipal elections are scheduled nationwide for November 11. Six people have announced their candidacy for Tel Aviv's race, including current Mayor Ron Huldai, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Oren Shaor, MK Dov Henin (Hadash), former city council member Ya'acov Rener, and Deputy Mayor Pe'er Weissner., and the chairman of the Organization of Democratic Action faction, Assama Agberiah Zahalka.