Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., September 25, 2008 Elul 25, 5768 | | Israel Time: 01:15 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Deri to quit Jerusalem mayoral race if court rejects appeal By Yair Ettinger Tags: Shas, Israel, Aryeh Deri  Former Shas leader Aryeh Deri said Tuesday that if he is legally barred from submitting his candidacy in the Jerusalem mayoral race, he will drop out without seeking to overturn the ruling. "I will tell the Torah sages not to appeal," Deri said. "I will do as I am told." Deri, who was forced to retire from public life in 2000 when he was found guilty of taking bribes while serving as interior minister, submitted a petition to the Jerusalem District Court yesterday asking it to approve his candidacy. Advertisement In an interview with religious radio station Tel Hai Radio, Deri said he would advise Shas rabbis not to ask the Supreme Court to overturn a possible ruling preventing him from running for mayor. Deri recently asked Yaakov Dahan, the official organizing the mayoral race, to include him in the list of candidates for the municipal election, the petition stated. However, Dahan replied on September 23 that he lacked the legal authority to approve Deri's candidacy because it was not clear whether his conviction prevents him from seeking public office. The Central Elections Committee also told Deri his candidacy could only be approved by a court. By law, citizens sentenced to prison for more than three months are barred form taking part in municipal elections for seven years after their release - meaning that Deri, whose prison term ended in July 2002, would not be able to participate in a municipal election until July 2009. But Deri argues that he should be allowed to run for mayor because at the time of his conviction, released convicts had to wait only six years before being allowed to take part in elections, and by that standard he is eligible to run. "Last week I gave up," Deri told Tel Hai Radio yesterday, in an effort to explain why it took him two weeks to ask the court to approve his candidacy. "Election officials are forcing me into a situation in which I won't have any time [to campaign]. I don't want to be a candidate on parole. I don't want to take the public hostage or use public funds or ruin the chances of other candidates." Deri rejected predictions that his candidacy would split the ultra-Orthodox vote between himself and Meir Porush, an Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox politician - making it easier for a candidate who is not ultra-Orthodox to win the election. "I am the only candidate who can win the Jerusalem election," said Deri. "When they prove to me that there is a better candidate than me, then I will withdraw my candidacy immediately." Deri said many secular voters support his candidacy because of his long experience in politics. "Anyone who is living in Jerusalem or has children or grandchildren in Jerusalem wants someone with my experience." On the issue of talks with Palestinians, Deri said he opposed any territorial compromise in Jerusalem and said Fatah was essentially the same as Hamas. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Beatle in Bethlehem Paul McCartney says West Bank visit shows he is carrying message of peace. Biden on the attack Democratic VP candidate says McCain presidency would benefit Iran, Hezbollah.   1.   Proficiency alone is insufficiency for a Jerusalem Mayor 13:10  |  H.H.M. 24/09/08

Read & React Livni: Ahmadinejad speech makes mockery of UN vow of 'never again' Responses: 219 Editorial: Only way to stop Palestinian terrorism is to improve life in the territories Responses: 86 Peres at UN: Iran working to thwart Mideast peace Responses: 44 Iranian President wooed with U.S. media attention Responses: 104 More Headlines 21:56 Peres at UN: Iran working to thwart Mideast peace 16:27 East Jerusalem cell charged over killing of two Border Policemen 22:22 Shin Bet: Separation fence fueling attacks by East Jerusalem Arabs 17:32 EU: Iran moving closer to making nuclear warhead 20:20 Biden: McCain has no answer to threat of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah 23:03 Livni: Ahmadinejad speech makes mockery of UN vow of 'never again' 20:11 McCartney in West Bank: I'm carrying a message of peace 00:20 Left-wing rights group B'Tselem to establish U.S. representation 23:55 91-year-old Nazi tried for robbing store in protest of war crimes trial 18:39 IDF soldiers foil attempted attack at West Bank roadblock 00:43 Memorial goes up in Berlin for Hitler's failed assassin 23:54 El Al flight from Paris lands safely in Israel after bomb scare 19:59 Peres: Israel isn't willing to give Syria land in exchange for rocket fire 21:09 Livni, Barak aides: 'Good progress' in coalition talks 21:22 Olmert: Israelis must take foreign terror threats seriously Previous Editions Select Day 24 sep 23 sep 22 sep 21 sep 19 sep 18 sep 17 sep 16 sep 15 sep 14 sep 12 sep 11 sep

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Dial 013 for your long-distance calls and get all your money back US CITIZENS Vote for real change. Request your ballot today! Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved