VZCZCXRO0143
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #2035 3181537
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131537Z NOV 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3233
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY

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