This week, Communist Knesset Member Dov Khenin announced his candidacy for Tel Aviv mayor. He's running on behalf of the new party Ir Lekulanu (A city for all), which is an environmental, economically left wing party in the city.
Khenin's candidacy is a big deal on a number of counts. First, the Israeli Communist Party (known as Hadash) is a mixed Arab-Jewish party. Second, it's Communist; Khenin's blog is called Red and Green. Third, Khenin is one of the most consistently green members of the Israeli parliament. Fourth, it's the first major challenge to incumbent Ron Huldai, who has come under fire for letting skyscrapers rise in Tel Aviv's historic neighborhoods. And last, its an indictment of the Green Party, which already has seats in the city council but, according to Ir Lekulanu, doesn't do enough with them.
Does this mean that Tel Aviv is going to be littered with new parks that have signs in Hebrew and Arabic with a corner reserved for collective gardens? Is it possible to get voted in and stick to ideals that are quite out of the Israeli mainstream?
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Hi Daniella!
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