Jerusalem Mayor Rabbi Uri Lupoliansky proposed a law on 28
Cheshvan that would authorize the Jerusalem City Council to
prevent events considered offensive to local residents from
taking place in the city.
"The eyes of the entire world are lifted up to the City of
Jerusalem," said the Mayor. "It cannot be that in the case of
events that have ramifications running counter to the
public's values the City Council, which serves as the
representative of all of the residents, lacks the authority
to prevent harming these sensitivities."
When Jerusalem had to confront a serious blow to the city's
sanctity recently, the City Council was unable to step in
because the current law grants the police sole authority for
the decision of whether to hold such events.
Rabbi Lupoliansky claims that Jerusalem differs from other
local authorities. "Jerusalem is a medley of different
population groups and as such the fabric of life is very
sensitive," he said. "Therefore anything that could instigate
the city should be totally avoided. This uniqueness should be
preserved by placing the decision over sensitive matters of
this kind before the City Council, which represents all city
residents and serves as their mouthpiece."
The proposal claims that a small minority seeks to harm
Jerusalem's special character, arguing that a law is urgently
needed to prevent offending religious values. The proposal to
amend the Jerusalem, Capital of Israel Foundation Law, was
discussed at meetings where a large number of MKs were
involved in lobbying for Jerusalem.
The Mayor expressed his hope the law would pass in the
Knesset, thereby receiving the validation worthy of such an
important issue, and that MKs from across the political
spectrum would make every effort to have it pass.
