Arutz-7's Yehoshua Meiri spoke on Jerusalem Day with Aryeh Bar-Lev - better known as Arcady Gaydamak - about Gaydamak's help for Sderot and his plans to become Mayor of Jerusalem.
Gaydamak sent eight buses for residents of Kassam-besieged Sderot on Wednesday, transporting them to safer areas in the north. Meiri asked, "I heard on Egpytian Radio this morning that Israel is evacuating the citizens of Sderot. I know that you mean to do well, but maybe -"
Gaydamak said, "I understand [your question]. First of all, in general, radio and media are the tools of journalists to explain their stupidity, their lack of information, and their personal opinions. This is the general situation everywhere... In some countries, the journalists also use the media for propaganda... I don't care about their opinion, nor about public opinion - because public opinion is managed by the professionals, and also because it is human nature to want to see other people being shown to be worse than them... The Jews living in Sderot have been living in a very difficult situation, in great danger, and they never know when the rockets will come. We should help them however we can. I am just a yehudi pashut [a simple Jew], and I want to help. I look to see what I can do. I come to share with them what I can. They are families and I want to help them - and the rest I don't care about.
Meiri: In light of the inability of the Prime Minister to decide on a military course of action against the Gaza terrorists, would you recommend that the IDF Chief of Staff act on his own, as some have recommended?
Gaydamak: I have no confidence at all in this Prime Minister - but even so, there is no doubt that the army should never take action without authorization from the government.
Meiri: My last question is, What about your intentions to be the mayor of Jerusalem?
Gaydamak: I will be Mayor of Jerusalem because it is of absolute necessity that the mayor be someone who acts not for his own personal interests... In the Israeli system, there is a natural division of Ashkenazim and Sephardim, and this parliamentary system is not suitable for Israel because the candidates are elected based on this division, and then they must act not for the people's interests but only for the sake of maintaining the coalition; they are not able to run the country. We should change this system and have a strong presidential system. This is why I decided that I should take control of this city of Jerusalem, for the good of the residents, all of them, Jews and Muslims, and create economic prosperity... and because Jerusalem is the most important symbol of peace in the world, we should also try to solve the problems of confrontation in the Middle East. This is why I should be the mayor of Jerusalem; it's not that I want [this position].
Gaydamak sent eight buses for residents of Kassam-besieged Sderot on Wednesday, transporting them to safer areas in the north. Meiri asked, "I heard on Egpytian Radio this morning that Israel is evacuating the citizens of Sderot. I know that you mean to do well, but maybe -"
Gaydamak said, "I understand [your question]. First of all, in general, radio and media are the tools of journalists to explain their stupidity, their lack of information, and their personal opinions. This is the general situation everywhere... In some countries, the journalists also use the media for propaganda... I don't care about their opinion, nor about public opinion - because public opinion is managed by the professionals, and also because it is human nature to want to see other people being shown to be worse than them... The Jews living in Sderot have been living in a very difficult situation, in great danger, and they never know when the rockets will come. We should help them however we can. I am just a yehudi pashut [a simple Jew], and I want to help. I look to see what I can do. I come to share with them what I can. They are families and I want to help them - and the rest I don't care about.
Meiri: In light of the inability of the Prime Minister to decide on a military course of action against the Gaza terrorists, would you recommend that the IDF Chief of Staff act on his own, as some have recommended?
Gaydamak: I have no confidence at all in this Prime Minister - but even so, there is no doubt that the army should never take action without authorization from the government.
Meiri: My last question is, What about your intentions to be the mayor of Jerusalem?
Gaydamak: I will be Mayor of Jerusalem because it is of absolute necessity that the mayor be someone who acts not for his own personal interests... In the Israeli system, there is a natural division of Ashkenazim and Sephardim, and this parliamentary system is not suitable for Israel because the candidates are elected based on this division, and then they must act not for the people's interests but only for the sake of maintaining the coalition; they are not able to run the country. We should change this system and have a strong presidential system. This is why I decided that I should take control of this city of Jerusalem, for the good of the residents, all of them, Jews and Muslims, and create economic prosperity... and because Jerusalem is the most important symbol of peace in the world, we should also try to solve the problems of confrontation in the Middle East. This is why I should be the mayor of Jerusalem; it's not that I want [this position].