The big news in Bet Shemesh today is an attempt by City Councilmen Moshe Montag and Meir Balayish to get the City Attorney General fired.
Miki Gastwirth, a dati fellow, has held the position of Attorney General of Bet Shemesh for many years, but might soon be pushed out of his job. Montag and Balayish want him fired, supposedly, for making it difficult for them and not automatically signing off on whatever they want.
Specifically, he made trouble for some businesses that were doing some illegal and unlicensed things, while Montag and Balayish are saying that it is difficult enough already to bring business to Bet Shemesh, he doesn't need to make ti difficult for the businesses that are already here. More generally, they say that he is flexible for any issue that comes up for the general population, but raises difficulties whenever an issue is on the table regarding the Haredi community. And, they say, he acts like he is the acting mayor of the city and does what he wants.
Montag will be raising the proposal to fire Gastwirth at the next Iryah council session.
source: Behadrei and Kooker
I don't care who holds this position. I met Gastwirth once or twice, but have no personal relationship with him and I do not personally benefit from his decisions any more or less than anybody else in the city. I don't care if he keeps his job or if he loses it, on a professional basis.
I find the claims ironic. In the past Gastwirth has been accused by the general population of being something akin to an Uncle Tom - despite not being Haredi, he, supposedly, did whatever the mayor and Haredi councilmen wanted of him and generally did nothing specific using his position to help the general population.
I don't know if he will survive this or get fired, but I hope that the decision either way falls on a professional basis and not just because someone doesn't get what he wants when he wants it and has the votes to throw his weight around.
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