The High Court of Justice issues an injunction against coalition legislation passed earlier this month voiding a requirement for caretaker mayors to take a break before running for election, which has been seen as aimed at benefiting an associate of Shas party leader Aryeh Deri.
The legislation does away with a one-term cooling-off period for acting mayors and other local officials appointed to fill roles before they can run for the office. The measure had been introduced in 2008 to keep unelected officials from enjoying the advantages of an incumbent.
Sponsored by Likud MK Amit Halevi, the law is seen as personally tailored to aid Boaz Yosef, the acting mayor of Tiberias, who would otherwise be barred from running in an upcoming contest for the post.
Yosef has served as Tiberias’s acting mayor since 2020, when he was appointed by Deri, then interior minister, after mayor Ron Kobi was removed from office.
A petition was filed against the law by Yosef’s rival in the Tiberias race, Shani Illouz, as well as several other organizations.
Following that petition, the High Court issues a temporary injunction and will discuss the matter on July 30.
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Thursday, July 20, 2023
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