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New mayor vows to dismantle Chords Bridge, blasts capital's Light Rail By Jonathan Lis "Jerusalem has won, Israel has won, the Jewish nation has won," secular candidate Nir Barkat declared in his victory speech before dawn yesterday after defeating his ultra-Orthodox rival Meir Porush in the Jerusalem mayoral election. Speaking at a news conference later, Barkat lambasted the Jerusalem Light Rail project and the Chords Bridge on which the light train would enter Jerusalem. He said he would reexamine both projects' feasibility and not hesitate to replace them with cheaper, more effective alternatives, if such were found. Advertisement "Israel's poorest city should invest the money in education, culture and sanitation, not in bridges," Barkat said. Criticizing the NIS 280 million investment in an ostentatious bridge when so many people want to leave the city, Barkat said: "I don't know anyone who would stay in Jerusalem just for a bridge." He also said he would scrap the controversial Safdie Plan for the city's westward development and develop land reserves for new neighborhoods within city limits. The new mayor said he would contribute his mayor's salary "to help Jerusalem." "I didn't come to do this job for the money," he said. Barkat won 52 percent of the vote versus 43 percent for Porush of the United Torah Judaism party. Russian-born businessman Arcadi Gaydamak ran a distant third with just 3.6 percent. Pledging to act for the good of all Jerusalemites, Barkat said that "the triumph belongs to those on the right and on the left, religious and secular, new immigrants and Jerusalem natives, Jews and Arabs." Barkat, 49, married with three daughters, was endorsed by far-right politicians and campaigned with radical right-wing statements to enlist the support of nationalist-religious voters. He promised to build a Jewish neighborhood next to Anata, blasted the Waqf's excavations on the Temple Mount and said he wanted to turn the controversial City of David (the narrow promontory beyond Temple Mount's southern edge) into "Tuscany." Although he is capable of setting up a broad coalition without the ultra-Orthodox factions, Barkat is expected to form a coalition with the ultra-Orthodox to bolster his image as "everyone's mayor." He is expected to give the powerful planning, construction and finance portfolios, which have been held by ultra-Orthodox delegates, to secular officials. He listed his main tasks as improving Jerusalem's education infrastructure, cleaning its filthy streets, solving its dire traffic problems and providing housing for reasonable prices. "I won't stop until we bring 10 million tourists a year and revive creative culture. I won't stop until we create proper economic growth and create more jobs." He also promised to preserve the status quo in religious affairs. Barkat made his fortune, estimated at more than $100 million, after founding the BRM company that developed anti-virus software and helped Check Point and other firms get off the ground. Bookmark to del.icio.us   A ringing endorsement Jimmy Carter says Obama will waste no time in pursuing Middle East peace. Peres' olive branch Israel's president says the Arab peace plan is an opening for progress.

Read & React Carter: Obama will waste no time pursuing Middle East peace Responses: 127 Peres: Arab peace plan - an opening for real progress Responses: 90 IDF soldier jailed for yawning during Rabin memorial service Responses: 116 Ari Shavit: Israel needs a successor to Rabin Responses: 21 More Headlines 22:47 Israel to Hamas: We don't want escalation in Gaza 00:17 IDF to court-martial soldiers filmed humiliating bound Palestinian 23:47 Saudi King meets with group of prominent U.S. Jews in New York 00:57 UN: Israel's border closures leave us with no food for Gaza 01:47 Rahm Emanuel apologizes for father's disparaging remarks about Arabs 23:03 Palestinian suspected in 1980 Paris synagogue bombing arrested in Canada 00:32 TASE falls to lowest level since 2005; U.S. dollar soars 20:15 Livni: Israel not counting on Obama in peace talks 20:03 Qassams strike near southern towns of Ashkelon and Netivot 23:21 Labor MK Pines-Paz to remain in Labor; Ex-police chief joins Likud 18:30 Antiquities official: 8th century church discovered in Syria 20:33 Switzerland: Israel breaking int'l law by razing Palestinian homes Previous Editions Select Day 13 nov 12 nov 11 nov 10 nov 09 nov 07 nov 06 nov 05 nov 04 nov 03 nov 02 nov 31 oct

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