Jerusalem – Endorsed By Shas Moshe Leon To Challenge Nir Barkat For Mayoralty

Jerusalem – Spurred by Likud and ultra-Orthodox officials to challenge Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat in October’s mayoral race, Jerusalem Development Authority Chairman Moshe Leon will officially announce his campaign in the capital Monday afternoon.

However, before Leon could make the declaration, Ometz Chairman Aryeh Avneri accused him of corruption and fraud during his tenure as head of the Israeli Railways Authority, and said he is requesting the court conduct a formal investigation.

While the government watchdog head said he could not elaborate on the charges Sunday, he claimed that a series of complaints of fraud were leveled against Leon during his time at the IRA that should preclude him from entering the race.

Despite repeated phone calls regarding the allegations to Leon’s spokesman from The Jerusalem Post, no official response was provided by press time.

Leon, of Givatayim, is an accountant who has served as director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Israel Railways Authority. He has a close relationship with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Avigdor Liberman.

Because he is Orthodox, Leon, who will have to relocate to Jerusalem, has also engendered the support of United Torah Judaism and Shas officials, which have endorsed him due to Barkat’s perceived leftist ideology.

Indeed, the haredi parties have been seeking a candidate who is religious, but not haredi, to run against Barkat, Likud City Councilman Elisha Peleg said last month.

“I have been telling Likud leaders for months that the governing party must field a candidate in Jerusalem and I am glad they listened to me,” Peleg said. “Moshe Leon would be a perfect fit for the city.”

Peleg added that as head of the JDA, Leon was involved in the city’s key projects and learned what is necessary to advance the city. He complained that Barkat was not right-wing enough and had made too many compromises with Meretz.

Leon is expected to position himself as a candidate representing ultra-Orthodox voters.

While Barkat criticized Netanyahu early in his tenure for not devoting enough funds to Jerusalem, the prime minister and the mayor have gotten along recently.

Barkat appeared at a Netanyahu press conference two days before the election for prime minister, and recently named a highway interchange after Netanyahu’s father, Benzion.

Dudi Amsalem, director of the City Beautification Division and a veteran Likud member, is expected to join Leon’s slate.

Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post