Rabbi Uri Lapolianski, deputy mayor of Jerusalem and chairman
of the UTJ party in the Municipality, told Yated
Ne'eman that he expects that Mayor Ehud Olmert will
announce the formation of the municipal coalition at the
Jerusalem City Council meeting to take place on Tu BeShevat.
"There is no doubt that Olmert must form a coalition in the
near future, to enable the municipality and all of its
committees to begin working. This is especially important in
light of the fact that, at the directives of maranan
verabonon, the chareidim voted for him en masse
because of the cooperation which has, for a number of years
existed between him and the chareidi community," said Rabbi
Lapolianski.
Although elections for Jerusalem's city council were held two
months ago, a coalition still hasn't been formed due to the
mayor's attempts to include Yerushalayim Achshav chairman
Arnon Yekutieli in the coalition. Yekutieli is also the
chairman of Am Chofshi and is notorious for his virulent
attacks against the chareidi community.
Recently, Yekutieli launched an all-out campaign against
chareidim with demagogic slogans such as: "Separate money
from religion," and "This year, 22 soldiers were killed in
Lebanon, and not one of the chareidi draft dodgers was killed
in the tents of Torah," as well as additional jarring
expressions, which result in rabble rousing to the point that
some link this appalling incitement to several violent
attacks against chareidim.
Immediately after the elections, Rabbi Uri Lapolianski made
it clear to the mayor that there can be no coalition with
both the chareidim and someone like Arnon Yekutieli who
constantly attacks and incites against chareidi Jewry.
When asked why the mayor is taking so long to form a
coalition, Rabbi Lapolianski said that Olmert believes that
it is important to form the widest possible coalition.
"The mayor is attempting to join the two extremes. We made it
absolutely clear that cooperation can be achieved between
different approaches, but not when there is wild provocation
and vicious incitement. Olmert is fully aware of our
position. Nonetheless, he feels that it will be possible to
bridge the gap. We explained that we have no problem with the
bridging of gaps in viewpoints, but that it is impossible to
be a partner in a coalition with someone who seeks our
blood," Rabbi Lapolianski said.
Rabbi Lapolianski also said, "There were joint discussions
with the other religious factions (NRP and Shas), and all of
their representatives, without exception, agreed with our
position. All of the religious and chareidi representations
in the City Council insist that there must be neither
dissension nor animosity in the new coalition, in accordance
with the principles determined by gedolei Yisroel."
Rabbi Lapolianski rejected the possibility that a coalition
might not be formed altogether, and said, "It is difficult to
believe that there won't be a coalition in the near future. .
. . In addition, it is inconceivable that the chareidi
community be held hostage, even if there is a lack of
agreement, and it is unthinkable for the largest city in
Israel to lack the dynamics necessary for its ongoing
functioning. Therefore, I believe that it won't be possible
to delay the establishment of the coalition any more than two
weeks, when the Council next plans to convene."
Rabbi Lapolianski also stressed that there is no connection
between the allocation of political positions in the
Municipality and the fact that the coalition still hasn't
been formed.
"We are speaking about promises which have already been
agreed upon. The issue of positions in the city council is
not what has caused the delay in forming the coalition. Only
the fundamental issue has caused this. There are other
fundamental points which require attention and which are
related to the public sanctity of Jerusalem and the granting
of equal opportunities and rights to the chareidi community,
in accordance with the agreements," Rabbi Lapolianski said.
