NIR BARKAT WINS JERUSALEM MAYORAL ELECTION

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 002035 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/RAMCHAND/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: NIR BARKAT WINS JERUSALEM MAYORAL ELECTION REF: JERUSALEM 02013 ¶1. (U) Summary. "Secular/nationalist" candidate Nir Barkat won the election for Jerusalem's mayor and takes office in early December. He promised in his victory speech to address the needs of secular, religious, and Arab residents of the city. Nearly all Palestinians and some ultra-Orthodox Jerusalemites boycotted the vote. End Summary. NIR BARKAT WINS JERUSALEM MAYORAL ELECTION -------------- ¶2. (U) "Secular/nationalist" candidate Nir Barkat won the election for Jerusalem's mayor November 11 with 52 percent of the votes. In his victory speech, he said "there is room in Jerusalem for everyone," reaching out to the city's divided population, secular and religious, Jewish and Arab. Barkat and the new city council members will take office 21 days after the election (o/a December 2). Press report that Barkat hopes to build a city council coalition including members of all parties, even though the majority of council members are secular. ¶3. (U) Barkat is a native Jerusalemite and self-made millionaire in the high-tech field. He led the city council opposition for the last five years and is involved in entrepreneurial and non-profit projects in the city. His campaign promised to balance the needs of secular and religious communities in Jerusalem and improve conditions in Palestinian neighborhoods. Barkat also promised to construct new Israeli neighborhoods in East Jerusalem and link neighboring settlements, such as Ma'ale Adumim and the Gush Etzion bloc, to Jerusalem initiatives. He said he would use the Municipality to resist negotiations with Palestinians over Jerusalem. PALESTINIANS, SOME ULTRA-ORTHODOX BOYCOTT POLLS -------------- -- ¶4. (U) Israeli press reported small-scale clashes with police during the voting in areas where Palestinians and ultra-Orthodox men tried to discourage voters from going to the polls. While most ultra-Orthodox voters turned out for runner-up Meir Porush, infighting among ultra-Orthodox groups caused some to stay home or vote for other candidates. Press also reported a historically low two percent turnout of East Jerusalem Palestinians. WALLES