Last update - 00:00 21/02/2008
Green Party hopes to reach Knesset by running in local elections
By Zafrir Rinat, Haaretz Correspondent
Is it possible to translate the wave of environmental awareness that is sweeping the world - and Israel too - into political power? The Green Party is convinced that this is the case and is preparing accordingly. The aim is to create the most powerful party in local authorities, and for the first time harness sufficient support in national elections to send its representatives to the Knesset.
The party, headed by deputy mayor of Tel Aviv Peer Wisner, recently began setting up new branches in anticipation of the municipal elections that will be held in nine months. Unlike the past, this will not be a coalition of various political parties, but branches belonging to the Greens and who will operate under an environmental-social platform. To date, 14 branches have been set up, and a similar figure is in the process of being established in cities like Jerusalem, Afula, Beer Sheva and Eilat.
The person coordinating the municipal effort is Michael Roeh, former deputy mayor of Tel Aviv representing Meretz, and now a businessman. Roeh travels between local authorities and assists in setting up new branches of Greens and organizing a core group of activists. In some of the bigger cities, like Ramat Gan and Haifa, the Greens will run with candidates for mayor, and there is a good chance that Wisner will compete for the post of Tel Aviv mayor. Wisner said that the party is holding talks with mayors who ran for their post without party support, so that they may consider joining the party he heads.
"The goal is to have 50 branches and to place at least a third of the council members in most of the local authorities where we will run," Roeh says. "It is possible because we are proposing an agenda that is not only environmental but also deals with social justice, with democratization of the governing process and combating corruption. Another element that is in our favor is that the big parties have nearly lost all interest in local elections," Roeh adds.
Following "a cross-section analysis of the vote for the Knesset, we focused on establishing branches in cities where there was considerable support for us" during the previous elections, says Wisner.
One of the dominant figures in local politics who joined the Greens is Shmuel Gelbhert, deputy mayor of Haifa. He tops the list of candidates on behalf of the Greens.
"In the past I thought that there was no need for a Green party because of the political-security agenda priorities of Israel, and I also had differences with Wisner," he said. "But of late I changed my mind following the change in environmental awareness in Israel and the world, and I feel that the public is now more willing to deal with environmental issues. My relationship with Wisner improved, and so we decided to put together an [election] list that will be part of the Green party."
In Ramat Gan, the Green election list is headed by Dr. Avi Lilian, a veterinarian who established the Magen David Yarok college for para-veterinary studies. "There is a great deal of excitement, and it is quite difficult for us to absorb all those activists who want to join us," he said.
"From our point of view, it will be a major achievement if we get four or five members on the local council," Lilian said. "I believe that we have a chance in the election for mayor against the current mayor, Zvi Bar, otherwise I would not have joined this effort."
Lilian says that the party will focus on improving environmental education in Ramat Gan, and contributing to green areas in the city and preventing air pollution. He also wants to push for minibuses powered by electricity "instead of the bus lines that pollute and the subway that is too expensive."
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