By Tim Franks BBC News, Jerusalem BATTLE OF THE POSTERS
By Tim Franks BBC News, Jerusalem BATTLE OF THE POSTERS
After the election over there, now there is an election over here. Tomorrow, Tuesday, Jerusalemites will vote for a mayor and a city council.
After the election over there, now there is an election over here. Tomorrow, Tuesday, Jerusalemites will vote for a mayor and a city council.
There is something rather quaint about the campaigning. The big money is not, as in America, spent on TV advertising. Rather, candidates buy space for posters on buses, bridges and buildings.
There is something rather quaint about the campaigning. The big money is not, as in America, spent on TV advertising. Rather, candidates buy space for posters on buses, bridges and buildings.
Those posters are, in turn, remarkably similar. No elliptical slogan or whizzbang graphic design. Instead a picture of the candidate, and a straightforward pitch: "Nir Barkat, for Mayor of the City".
Those posters are, in turn, remarkably similar. No elliptical slogan or whizzbang graphic design. Instead a picture of the candidate, and a straightforward pitch: "Nir Barkat, for Mayor of the City".
But the poster battles are themselves intriguing.
But the poster battles are themselves intriguing.
Rachel Azaria is top of the list for the Wake Up Jerusalemites party. She had wanted to do the done thing and appear, along with two fellow party candidates, on a poster, on a bus, in Jerusalem. This is it, with Ms Azaria on the left.
Rachel Azaria is top of the list for the Wake Up Jerusalemites party. She had wanted to do the done thing and appear, along with two fellow party candidates, on a poster, on a bus, in Jerusalem. This is it, with Ms Azaria on the left.
Except that this poster never made it on to a bus.
Except that this poster never made it on to a bus.
"We went to the company that handles advertisements. They said - fine, just make sure there are no women. And we said - it's not just any women; it's women who are running for city council. It won't be provocative in any way. It'll be very serious. I'm married, I have children, I'm Orthodox (religiously observant).
"We went to the company that handles advertisements. They said - fine, just make sure there are no women. And we said - it's not just any women; it's women who are running for city council. It won't be provocative in any way. It'll be very serious. I'm married, I have children, I'm Orthodox (religiously observant).
"And they said - no, sorry, it's a rule we have. We don't allow women to appear on buses. The very radical ultra-Orthodox ruin buses if there are pictures of women on them."
"And they said - no, sorry, it's a rule we have. We don't allow women to appear on buses. The very radical ultra-Orthodox ruin buses if there are pictures of women on them."
The case is now being thrashed out in court. In the meantime, Ohad Gibli, a vice-president at the Canaan Advertising company, which handles ads for the bus company, told us: "Buses pass through religious neighbourhoods. Therefore for a bus campaign, not offending the public's feelings has to be taken into account."
The case is now being thrashed out in court. In the meantime, Ohad Gibli, a vice-president at the Canaan Advertising company, which handles ads for the bus company, told us: "Buses pass through religious neighbourhoods. Therefore for a bus campaign, not offending the public's feelings has to be taken into account."
Mr Gibli says that Wake Up Jerusalemites were offered a number of other options. These included a more modest ad, including a photo with parts of the woman's image - it is not clear which parts - covered up using graphic software.
Mr Gibli says that Wake Up Jerusalemites were offered a number of other options. These included a more modest ad, including a photo with parts of the woman's image - it is not clear which parts - covered up using graphic software.
Ms Azaria disputes this account. She says that none of the alternatives offered included a picture of a woman.
Ms Azaria disputes this account. She says that none of the alternatives offered included a picture of a woman.
Indeed, the Israeli TV station, Channel 2, aired a taped phone conversation between Rachel Azaria and Avi Harel, another Canaan executive, in which he said to her: "You can't put a picture of a woman (on a bus), even with her head covered. Period. You can't."
Indeed, the Israeli TV station, Channel 2, aired a taped phone conversation between Rachel Azaria and Avi Harel, another Canaan executive, in which he said to her: "You can't put a picture of a woman (on a bus), even with her head covered. Period. You can't."
I want to live in a liberal atmosphere. It's very hard at the moment to live in Jerusalem Rachel Azaria "You can't put a picture a of a female, not if she's an 80-year-old woman, not if she is an eight-year-old girl. What can you do?"
I want to live in a liberal atmosphere. It's very hard at the moment to live in Jerusalem Rachel Azaria "You can't put a picture a of a female, not if she's an 80-year-old woman, not if she is an eight-year-old girl. What can you do?"
The bus company itself, Egged, told us that it had received no direct enquiries from either the candidates or the advertising agency, but would have had no problem with a picture of a public figure, as long as it was "positive and modest and inoffensive".
The bus company itself, Egged, told us that it had received no direct enquiries from either the candidates or the advertising agency, but would have had no problem with a picture of a public figure, as long as it was "positive and modest and inoffensive".
Rachel Azaria may be cross about the censoring of her ad. But it does, she says, rather prove the point of her party, whose wake-up call is aimed at fighting the increasing religiosity of the city.
Rachel Azaria may be cross about the censoring of her ad. But it does, she says, rather prove the point of her party, whose wake-up call is aimed at fighting the increasing religiosity of the city.
"I don't want all cities in Israel to become ultra-Orthodox," she says. "I want to live in a liberal atmosphere. It's very hard at the moment to live in Jerusalem. We want to be able to stay here."
"I don't want all cities in Israel to become ultra-Orthodox," she says. "I want to live in a liberal atmosphere. It's very hard at the moment to live in Jerusalem. We want to be able to stay here."
I raised the issue with the ultra-Orthodox candidate for mayor, Meir Porush, during an interview in his campaign headquarters. He said that the story was news to him. But he insisted that - as far as he was concerned - having a picture of a woman on a bus, as long as she was in modest attire, was no problem.
I raised the issue with the ultra-Orthodox candidate for mayor, Meir Porush, during an interview in his campaign headquarters. He said that the story was news to him. But he insisted that - as far as he was concerned - having a picture of a woman on a bus, as long as she was in modest attire, was no problem.
VISION OF PORUSH
VISION OF PORUSH
Mr Porush graces buses in cartoon form, but who does he remind you of?
Some see a resemblance between the Porush posters and South Park
If the opinion polls are to be believed - and opinion polls in Israel often demand an Abrahamic depth of faith - then the battle for the mayorship is between the secular Mr Barkat and the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Mr Porush.
If the opinion polls are to be believed - and opinion polls in Israel often demand an Abrahamic depth of faith - then the battle for the mayorship is between the secular Mr Barkat and the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Mr Porush.
Mr Porush made his vision of municipal Israel very clear in a speech that was recorded and broadcast on a haredi radio station.
Mr Porush made his vision of municipal Israel very clear in a speech that was recorded and broadcast on a haredi radio station.
It was Rachel Azaria's dystopia.
It was Rachel Azaria's dystopia.
Speaking in Yiddish, Meir Porush declared: "In 10 years there will be no more secular mayors, except in some puny village."
Speaking in Yiddish, Meir Porush declared: "In 10 years there will be no more secular mayors, except in some puny village."
Meir Porush has avoided using a photograph of himself on his posters.
Meir Porush has avoided using a photograph of himself on his posters.
Instead, he has a drawing, which some irreverent Jerusalemites have compared to Santa Claus, or Papa Smurf, or even the rabbi on the scabrous US cartoon South Park.
Instead, he has a drawing, which some irreverent Jerusalemites have compared to Santa Claus, or Papa Smurf, or even the rabbi on the scabrous US cartoon South Park.
LANGUAGE OF GAYDAMAK
LANGUAGE OF GAYDAMAK
The rank outsiders, if the opinion polls are to be believed, are the left-wing candidate Pepe Alalu, and the multi-millionaire businessman and football club owner, Arkadi Gaydamak.
The rank outsiders, if the opinion polls are to be believed, are the left-wing candidate Dan Biron, and the multi-millionaire businessman and football club owner, Arkadi Gaydamak.
Mr Gaydamak came here a few years ago from Russia.
Mr Gaydamak came here a few years ago from Russia.
His Hebrew is, as even his spokesman acknowledges, basic.
His Hebrew is, as even his spokesman acknowledges, basic.
Which is why, presumably, one of his posters was defaced on a bridge over Begin Boulevard.
Which is why, presumably, one of his posters was defaced on a bridge over Begin Boulevard.
