(IsraelNN.com) Outgoing Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski says that Olmert’s policies in Jerusalem manifest his desire to split the city.

Speaking with the Israeli business site "Globes" just days before Mayor Lupolianski is to leave office, the smiling, easy-going hareidi-religious public official had harsh words for his predecessor – though spiced with compliments. 

“When we talk about keeping the city unified,” Lupolianski said, “it must be clear that this cannot be done in a city that has such wide gaps [between the Jewish and Arab sectors]. But the government is, de facto, dividing the city.”

The Globes interviewer then fed him a leading question: “Perhaps the government is not giving money for the eastern parts of the city  because they want to divide the city, as Olmert, Ramon and others have said?”

“That’s true, they said that,” Lupolianski said. “But the situation at present is the worst of all. You have the authority and the responsibility? You have a thesis in which you believe? So either implement it, or invest money to reduce the tremendous gap. You want to [give away] the eastern neighborhoods? So do it. But you can’t hold the rope by both ends.  As long as I, as Mayor of Jerusalem, and the government of Israel are responsible for bringing running water and municipal services to the residents, we have to make sure the conditions for Jews and Arabs are the same, and put an end to the terrible situation that we now have.”

Lupolianski does not feel that Olmert – his predecessor in the Jerusalem City Hall – withheld the monies in order to make Lupolianski look bad: “I don’t think he thinks that way. Rather it appears to me that part of what he was thinking was that the city has to be divided and that we have to get rid of those neighborhoods.” Lupolianski feels that all in all, Olmert was a “good mayor” who succeeded in improving the city’s infrastructures.

Jerusalem Affairs Minister Eitan Took One Tour
Asked why the Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, Rafi Eitan, did not help, Lupolianski said that he was given the distinct impression that Eitan invested much more time and effort into his position as Minister for Pensioner Affairs, and in fact took part in only one official tour of the city.  Minister Eitan's office stated that Eitan is “primarily the Pensioner Affairs Minister, and therefore his main mission is taking care of pensioners’ problems, including those of Mr. Lupolianski after he retires.”

Temple Mount
Lupolianski himself has spoken out strongly on behalf of keeping Jerusalem unified – though he does not believe in changing the status quo on the Temple Mount. 

On Barkat
The outgoing mayor has nice words to say about his successor Nir Barkat: “When I defeated him in the elections five years ago [Lupolianski did not run in the most recent elections, earlier this month – ed.], I thought he would leave politics.  Why would a successful hi-tech businessman want to spend five years in the opposition at City Hall? But he surprised me; he came to meetings, and showed dedication and adherence to the goal – and in the end, he won and became Mayor.  He will have to learn, as I did, but I think he has the potential, and if he does so, he has a good chance at succeeding.”