Lion's capacity to establish a respectful dialogue with Arab residents and develop a high level of trust has won him praise both from them.
By PEGGY CIDORMOSHE LION campaigns in the shuk during the 2018 mayoral race from which he emerged victorious. (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
A year and a half after being elected, Mayor Moshe Lion enjoys popularity and good press. Sources at Safra Square depict his policy as a remarkable juggling of the haredi and secular-pluralist wings of his coalition, navigating carefully between conflicting goals and interests.His capacity to establish a decent and respectful dialogue with Arab residents and develop among them a high level of trust has won him praise both from them and from the many who initially feared his right-wing affiliation would exacerbate the already tense relationship between that sector and Israeli authorities.This didn’t happen. Lion has launched a regular series of encounters with representatives of the various neighborhoods and different institutions in the Arab sector, which has helped create a better atmosphere. During the first weeks of the coronavirus crisis, these contacts aided underprivileged residents in both the haredi and Arab sectors, with hundreds of people providing hot meals and food baskets to seniors and needy families across the city.Rather than taking part in conflicts, Lion prefers quiet, discreet talks away from the media and public attention. The result is an image of a mayor who listens to residents and tries to do his best.“He is not putting forth a grand and daring vision,” explains a resident of the A-Tur neighborhood, “but he has convinced us that he means well.” The city is much cleaner and the large projects to improve traffic and add more housing solutions are progressing.That being said, the fact that not even a single city council member represents Lion makes him dependent on several – and sometimes opposed – lists on his council. A mayor who declares that his strategy is to be the mayor of all residents – including those who didn’t vote for him – but leaves the largest list representing most of the secular pluralist residents out on the opposition benches, cannot really pretend to represent all of the residents. Moreover, it is worrying that the list kept outside, Hitorerut, chiefly represents the young generation – the population that forms the core of this city’s future. This jeopardizes the very core of Lion’s central message, that he is working to make Jerusalem a success story.Having won the election, Lion should be generous. His opponent, Ofer Berkovitch, a young, devoted Jerusalemite who was born here and won the support of many thousands (his Hitorerut list is the largest at city council with seven seats) should not keep being disregarded.No matter who is responsible for the bad blood between the two, they have to find a way to put it aside and collaborate. Lion, the winner, has to do more. Thousands of young adults who wish to remain in the capital despite all the difficulties consider Berkovitch the right person to follow. He represents them. Barring him from decision-making, especially now with the coronavirus threatening us all, is wrong.Over the past 18 months, Lion has proven that he does many of the right things. Now he should show that he is a true lover of Jerusalem by inviting a young Jerusalemite who shares his love of the Holy City to work at his side.
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