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NEWS
With Elections Approaching Big Parties Voicing Anti-
religious Stances
By G. Lazer
As the elections for the 18th Knesset draw nearer, Likud and
Labor are showing their colors on religious issues. They will
make every effort to garner the votes of FSU immigrants, who
are demanding mixed marriages be allowed in Israel, and of
the anti-religious sector, which is seeking to embrace the
Reform Movement and its false conversions.
Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu presented the party's
Russian campaign staff, which will be managed by MKs Yuli
Edelstein and Zeev Elkin. The campaign team's goal is to
carry out field work and a media campaign designed to reach
out to Russian-speaking constituents. In launching the staff,
Netanyahu commented on the issue of mixed marriage and other
forbidden unions which affect a large portion of FSU
immigrants, saying, "We will provide a solution to the
problem for most of the people, with as broad a support base
as possible."
The Tel Aviv District Court rejected a petition by Vladimir
Shklar, who tried to disqualify Alali Adamso, the candidate
placed in the second slot reserved for immigrants on the
Likud list. Judge Yehuda Zaft said he was not convinced there
were sufficient grounds to intervene in this case. Adamso
will remain in the 28th spot on the Likud list.
Meanwhile Labor is reaching out to the anti-religious sector.
The party decided to place in the 24th spot on its Knesset
list Menachem Leibowitz, former director of the Reform
Movement. Leibowitz himself said, "Placing me on the Labor
list demonstrates the party's commitment to pluralist values,
and bringing me in strengthens the bond between the Reform
Movement in both Israel and the Diaspora and the Labor
Party."
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