Religious Affairs Minister Aharon Abu Hatzeira said yesterday that the elections to the Chief Rabbinate, scheduled for July 12, may have to be postponed again while legislation is adopted to correct shortcomings in the present election law. The elections were postponed once before this year at the behest of Abu Hatzeira who claimed his ministry needed more time to prepare for them.
The possible new postponement was immediately denounced by supporters of Sephardic Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef who backs Rabbi Shaul Yisraeli against the incumbent Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren. They charged a maneuver by the National Religious Party (NRP) to ensure Goren’s reelection. A total of 139 of the 150 electors have been chosen to date. Ten more must be nominated by Abu Hatzeira of the NRP and one by the Chief Chaplain of the armed forces.
Goren’s supporters say the charges are “nonsense” and claim that Goren was assured of reelection even before the nomination of the last 11 electors. But Yisraeli has emerged as a serious challenger who reportedly enjoys the support of much of the NRP rank-and-file and of Yosef as well. Yosef, who is running for reelection unopposed, has long been at odds with Goren and apparently would like to see him replaced. Meanwhile, Judge Yaacov Bazak, chairman of the elections committee, has proposed changes in the election law which, as it now stands, divides the electoral body 50-50 between Ashkenazim and Sephardim.
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