Who against whom? This is the question that is currently preoccupying the people in Safra Square.
And the answer? It's complicated. In the morning they attack, in the evening they embrace (or vice versa).
So for those who have lost their minds in recent days in the never-ending tension between the Haredi representatives in the municipality and Nir Barkat, here's some order.
1.
It is no secret that the Torah Banner is the most aggressive party against the mayor of Jerusalem.
The reason is simple: Agudat Yisrael has the Gur and Belza factions that supported Nir Barkat in the elections; Shlomi Emunim knows how to shout, but representative Yossi Deitch is a practical man who also knows how to close things quietly; Shas, despite running Moshe Leon for mayor, internalized the results after the elections, and rushed to close a deal - and accepted the Haredi-Jerusalem summit, in the form of a Haredi education portfolio. Since then, Barkat and Aryeh Deri have maintained good relations.
The Torah Banner remained. They were the ones who paid the price for the Haredi struggle against Barkat in the elections, and were left without a significant portfolio, when the "jewel in the crown" from the faction's perspective - the Haredi education portfolio - was taken from them (we will expand on this later). The faction was also left without significant influence on the mayor, when their demands - were not met.
Let's take, for example, the additional representatives, who are entitled to them by law, in the various committees: these were added only last week, despite eight months of struggle, which even resulted in a legal lawsuit.
2.
Therefore, the Degel members, who are already well-known for their art of attacking political opponents, have no choice but to attack Barkat - and with force. In recent months, they have been trying to do this, as only they know how.
The faction members do not miss any opportunity to present Barkat as the new 'Antiochus,' the one who seeks to undermine the walls of Jerusalem.
3.
So much for the local flag. But the party's MKs are also war scholars. As oppositionists, they have plenty of time to launch large-scale media attacks. Put all of this together, and you'll understand the background to much of what you've heard about Barkat and Jerusalem.
4.
It is important to emphasize: both Shas and Agudat Israel are not overly pleased with Nir Barkat.
Here is a story, appearing here in a first publication, that will illustrate this: Not long ago, the capital was in turmoil over the mayor's decision to grant a building in the Ramot A neighborhood to the Haredi high school yeshiva "Chachmei Lev." Degel HaTorah, as expected, was bombarded in the media about the persecution of Nir Barkat.
A week after Barkat overturned the decision, his deputy, Zvika Cohen of Shas, entered his office and delivered an unequivocal message on the orders of the movement's leadership: If the structure is handed over to the 'wise men of the heart', Shas will withdraw from the coalition, and that is the end of their relationship.
""For several days they didn't exchange a word," says a source at Safra, "and so you understand, over the past few months a really good relationship has developed between the two, and they talk a lot.".
5.
And now for what happened on the opening day of the school year.
Nine months ago, Zvika Cohen took office as the holder of the Haredi education portfolio. The portfolio, which had been the exclusive domain of the Degel Hatorah members since the days of Uri Maklev and Yitzhak Pindarus, was taken from them in the current term and transferred to the Sephardic faction. The blow was severe.
Aryeh Deri, who also suffered defeat in the local elections - in Jerusalem and Elad - was hung up on the Haredi education portfolio as a lifeline. The plan was to finally open a school for administrators, and to make sure that no girl from a Sephardic home would be left at home - no matter what.
Cohen, who took office with a legacy of 15 daughters who remained in the house until Hanukkah, began working - and under pressure. A lot of pressure.
Shas, for its part, invested in extensive media branding.
6.
Nine months passed, the 2015 school year was approaching, and Zvika Cohen made the announcement: "There are no girls in the house.". This is thanks to a new system that forced seminary directors to accept students according to a ranking determined by a professional committee.
For the representatives of Degel Hatorah, who were deprived of all this goodness - and especially of control over the huge budgets of Haredi education - it was already too much.
7.
Degel HaTorah MKs and council members went on a tour of the city on the opening day of school with the aim of attacking anyone who is not a Degel. It started with Nir Barkat, continued with Bnei Torah's Bnei Torah faction's Chaim Epstein, and ended with Zvika Cohen of Shas. No one escaped sharp criticism. It must be noted that there was some truth in it.
MK Moshe Gafni, with his sharp tongue, slammed them all, claiming that they were Barkat's "collaborators." That they could not be believed. That Barkat had decided to make a "transfer" to the ultra-Orthodox from the mixed neighborhoods, which would not help anything, and that the statements of the Shasniks were generally a show of force.
Haim Epstein did not remain unmoved and sent an angry response to the media: "The blatant humiliation of MK Gafni in front of the dear and pure children of Israel who have not tasted sin, proves the loss of sensitivity, the darkness of the senses and the lack of responsibility of a respected public representative, who does not hesitate in any way to express political frustration and settling scores, at the lowest level.".
""The false cynicism used by MK Gafni in his inflammatory remarks against friends of the Sagara and the Haredi education portfolio holder, Zvika Cohen, and his attacks against the assistants of the trustee, Yeshayahu Wein, who previously ran a municipal education network, are not worthy of a response.".
""Zvika Cohen is doing a sacred job and has special support from the mayor, from all the Haredi representatives of all the factions in the municipality, and from the municipal officials. Thanks to his strenuous activity, he was able to open an effective school year for over 100,000 Haredi children in Jerusalem, in the best possible way, certainly in comparison to previous years.".
""In addition, after 10 years of holding the Menachah file by Degel Hatorah, ultra-Orthodox children are still studying in shelters. There is no greater audacity than to come and attack a public representative who manages the file in a respectable manner like Rabbi Zvika Cohen, who has only been in office for 9 months, and look at it, it's a wonder all the Sephardic girls are placed with honor and dignity, with complete equality.".
""And maybe on second thought, that's what hurts Gafni. I would also like to remind Gafni that he was the chairman of the Finance Committee in those years, and maybe he remembers how much money he got for Haredi education?""
8.
The truth must be told, there is a serious shortage of institutions in Haredi education in Jerusalem. There are institutions where students study in substandard conditions, there is still a lot of hard work to be done until the Haredi education system reaches the place it deserves.
But, the crisis didn't arise yesterday. "Last year, they started a school year in tents in Ramot," says a senior Shas secretary. "And this year we inaugurated a new Talmud Torah there, and in this matter Pindar also deserves great credit. And not only there. We opened new kindergartens throughout the city, including in Kiryat Yovel, we brought a new and luxurious kindergarten, and in the coming weeks more luxurious caravans will be placed throughout the city.
""Where have they been until now?" he scolds. "Were all the new kindergarten children born in the last nine months?" he asks with a smile. "We are not afraid of criticism, we are open to hearing any suggestion from anyone, and I do not disparage the extensive experience of Degel's people. But the way it was done did not seem like constructive criticism, but more like accusations and narrow political attacks.
""Are we collaborators? They are holding the coalition to Barkat. If everything is really bad - let them resign.".
9.
Representatives of the Torah Flag, for their part, claim that Shas is surrendering to Barkat, showing blind loyalty. "Did he keep the promises he made to them? He is excellent at making promises and sweet talk," claims a source in the Lithuanian faction. "Let them remember what happened in the previous term. For five years, he sold us promises - and nothing. We learned the painful lesson, let's hope that Shas will also sober up in time.".
10.
Relations between Shas and the Torah Banner in the Jerusalem Municipality have run aground - and not just today. There are plenty of stories.
Will the latest media blitz sever relations completely? Not sure.
What is certain is that labor relations will become even colder and more distant. We will not see any proactive collaboration. And the one who will lose out from all this, as always, is the voter who sent two parties to take care of his needs.
""As if we've finished the wars against Barkat, that we have unnecessary time and energy to fight among ourselves," says a Haredi official in Safra Square with pain. "Is the Sabbath being observed? Are the budgets flowing?""
And his question remained dependent on the clear atmosphere of Jerusalem, which in recent days has become dense and oppressive.
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