I was a bit worried to see the religious candidate lose the election to be Jerusalem’s next mayor, but I was just impressed with the new one.
Mayor elect Nir Barkat said that the housing prices are a problem for young Jewish couples and new, less expensive options would be built on the east side of the city. While the eastern side of Jerusalem is often fought over, Barkat intends to keep it for the Jewish people.
“These are areas that are controlled by the government, they are owned by Jews, they are not owned by Arabs,”Mr Barkat said. “I see no reason why current neighbourhoods should not be expanded [by building] more apartments for people who want to stay in Jerusalem and don’t have the right solutions.”
In addition, he pledged to fight poverty and unemployment in the city. He also said that he will help work on better planning and building for Jerusalem’s Arabs, which make up about one third of Jerusalem’s population.
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