By Judy Lash Balint
JERUSALEM — A few weeks ago Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat opened his campaign headquarters in a historic building a few blocks from the Old City, just outside the popular Mamilla Alrov Mall.
On Monday evening, June 10, at a campaign kick-off at a private home in the upscale Baka neighborhood, Mayor Barkat, a successful venture capitalist in a former life, outlined his vision of Jerusalem and answered questions from a large crowd comprised mainly of his middle-aged business entrepreneur peers.
The Mayor emphasized the positive changes that have taken place during his term of office, citing the stemming of the exodus of secular, educated people from the city; the massive increase in cultural activities and the innovative park and pedestrian projects that now dot the city.
One of the things the Mayor didn’t talk about was the upcoming Formula One race course that will close down the city this coming Thursday and Friday.
Most of my friends agree that a dozen bright red racing cars spewing gas emissions and screaming around a course that normal vehicles can’t even negotiate, isn’t a brilliant idea. For two days there’ll be no parking, no open sidewalks, no buses and of course no traffic on roads in and out of central Jerusalem.
When a friend and I managed to ask Mayor Barkat about it as he was leaving, he assured us that 100,000 spectators would be lining the route and that the event would be a great Jerusalem marketing event…
That same approach resonated during the Q & A as Barkat was asked how he planned to push the idea of a united Jerusalem to journalists and in the international arena.
Unfortunately, the mayor went into branding mode–the same mode used by Israel’s Foreign Ministry to try to persuade people that Israel is a wonderful place because Tel Aviv is gay-friendly and gorgeous girls line the beaches.
“I’ll emphasize the positive things about Jerusalem,” Barkat stated. “I’ll tell them about the Light Festival” and other cultural events that bring people together.
Barkat does have real answers to these tough questions–I’ve heard him speak eloquently about development in eastern Jerusalem and his controversial plans to legalize unregistered Arab building.
On his watch the municipality has drawn up and begun to implement a “strategy of closing gaps in eastern Jerusalem.”
As the campaign gets into full swing over the summer and fall in advance of the October 22 election, let’s hope that Mayor Barkat gets into full campaign mode to let Jerusalem voters see that he knows how to grapple with the tough questions.
*
Judy Lash Balint is a Jerusalem based freelance writer, who regularly blogs on Jerusalem Diaries:In Tense Times