Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai Enters National Politics, Forming New Center-Left Party

TEL AVIV (VINnews) — Veteran Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, who has long expressed his wish to enter national politics, has decided to launch a new center-left party to run in Israel’s coming elections. Huldai announced the formation of his new party, ‘Yisraelim’, at a Tuesday press conference together with Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn who left Blue And White in order to join Huldai.

Huldai noted the “despair” of Israelis who have “grown accustomed” to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s alleged corruption and divisive style of leadership.

“We have grown accustomed to a crazy government,” Huldai said. “I will no longer stand idly by, I am here to announce a new party,”

“We will not grow accustomed to a prime minister under indictment, we will not grow accustomed to attacks on the courts, we will not grow accustomed to a million unemployed and tens of thousands of businesses collapsing,” Huldai added, referring to Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial, efforts by his Likud party to change the judicial system, and the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis.

He said that his party will safeguard democracy and the justice system, create socially-minded reforms, care for small businesses, for women’s and minorities’ rights, and oppose religious coercion and rampant violence in the Arab community. Huldai added that he would not accept the so-called override clause, a long-stalled bill backed by right-wing parties that would give the Knesset the power to override Supreme Court decisions.

“We can stop with the despair. I’m doing this for my children, and mainly for my grandchildren. Israel can and must be run differently,” Huldai concluded, touting himself as the leader who could change Israel’s current situation.

The 76-year-old Huldai, a former fighter pilot and commander who later served as principal of the prestigious Herzliya Gymnasia school before entering local politics, has served consecutively as Tel Aviv mayor for 22 years. Huldai is a longstanding member of the Labor party but the flagging fortunes of Labor have led many left-wing politicians to seek other parties in an attempt to resurrect the fortunes of the Israeli left.

In the past Huldai has strongly criticized Chareidi education, stating that Chareidim cultivate ignorance and that civil disobedience should be considered as a way of combating the Chareidim. However his coalitions have included Chareidi councilmen, although in 2017 the Chareidi councilmen left in protest over Chuldai’s enabling opening of supermarkets on Shabbat after the mayor modified municipal by-laws to allow commerce to take place on Shabbat.

Huldai had recently been linked with a possible joint run with Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beitenu, since the two share many common goals, although Chuldai opposes annexation of settlements in Judea and Samaria. Liberman welcomed Huldai’s entering politics, terming him a “serious person” who could contribute positively to the Israeli political arena.

Blue And White leader Benny Gantz also held a press conference Tuesday in which he pledged to continue as leader of the beleaguered party, which has seen a precipitous drop in opinion polls, in the upcoming elections.

The Likud party responded in a statement saying “We wish Gantz and Huldai luck while Prime Minister Netanyahu brings millions of vaccines to Israel, gets Israel out of the coronavirus crisis and revives us.”