Jerusalem mayoral race highlights religious rifts

By Allyn Fisher-Ilan

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israeli mayoral election in Jerusalem has turned the holy city into a political battleground between secular and ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Palestinians, who along with the international community do not recognize Israeli rule over occupied Arab East Jerusalem and its claim to all of the city as its capital, say they will boycott Tuesday's vote.

An ultra-Orthodox rabbi, Meir Porush, 53, and Nir Barkat, 49, a centrist city councillor and high-tech entrepreneur, are the main contenders in a race that includes darkhorse candidate Arkady Gaydamak, a Russian immigrant and business magnate.

"The culture war is the main issue. It's a battle between the secular and the ultra-Orthodox," said Shmuel Sandler, a political scientist at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv.

With ultra-Orthodox voters estimated at 27 percent of the electorate and secular voters 43 percent, a candidate needs support from a middle constituency of moderately religious Jews, estimated at about 30 percent, to win, analysts said.

The religious and secular communities in Jerusalem live in a delicate balance.

In Orthodox neighbourhoods, families in traditional black garb stroll to synagogue during the Sabbath and Jewish holidays along roads blocked with cars. In downtown Jerusalem, secular Jews frequent non-Kosher bars and eateries.

Any change in that so-called status quo could raise tensions and provoke confrontations between the two communities.

BACKLASH

The Jerusalem vote is among the most significant of some 160 local elections being held across Israel ahead of a national parliamentary poll on February 10.

Though none of Jerusalem's mayoral candidates represent any of Israel's ruling parties, "there could be a backlash" by voters against religious parties in the countrywide ballot if Porush wins, Sandler said.

Some 750,000 people live in Jerusalem, including 260,000 Palestinians. A candidate must poll at least 40 percent or a second round of voting must be held.

A low turnout of secular voters could lead to a Porush victory, said analysts who attributed current Orthodox mayor Uri Lupolianski's win in 2003 to the failure of many non-religious residents to vote.

"Please don't judge me by the length of my beard," Porush said during the campaign. But he has fueled secular fears by saying he doubted there would be any non-Orthodox mayors in Israel in 10 years.

Barkat has angered some supporters by courting religious voters with promises to support Jewish settlement expansion in Jerusalem, a move some say could cost him the election.