Davidi Perl
Davidi PerlIsrael news photo: PR

The next head of the Gush Etzion regional authority will be Davidi Perl, it was announced Tuesday night.

Perl defeated his opponent Yair Wolf in Tuesday’s elections by a majority of 52.6 percent and a total of 3,046 votes. Wolf received 2,695 votes and 46.5 percent of the vote. Until now, Perl has served as the chairman of the local committee of Alon Shvut and as Director of the Netiv Meir Yeshiva. Wolf has been serving as deputy head of the Gush Etzion regional authority for 13 years.

Upon learning of his victory, Perl said, “I thank the residents of Gush Etzion for their trust and support. I pledge to be the head of all the residents of Gush Etzion regardless of their political opinion.”

He added, “We are putting the elections behind us and are looking forward to the future and the challenges ahead. As I have stated during the election campaign I intend to make education and providing appropriate education for every child a top priority, as well as to increase transparency and participation of the residents in the council’s decision-making.”

“I will continue to promote and develop the Gush Etzion region as a flourishing region at the heart of the Israeli consensus and will act to expand the building in all the communities in the bloc,” Davidi said.

The National Union party congratulated Perl on his victory and said, “We congratulate Davidi Perl on his victory and wish him success in the complex work he faces. We will continue to cooperate and assist in every possible so that he may lead Gush Etzion to a better future.”

MK Uri Ariel sent a personal greeting to Perl, in which he noted that “this is a complex and challenging role and I wish him well in all he does. His success is the success of the entire settlement enterprise and I will do my utmost to assist and help him.”

Perl told Arutz Sheva in an interview on Tuesday morning, “The change is already in the air and the residents of Gush Etzion already want a change in the regional authority. We see happiness on people’s faces.

“I will advance the entire subject of education – starting from the early ages and on to after high school… We will widen construction and deal with everything connected to youth and road safety,” he promised.

“We will not neglect the things that we invested in until today – tourism in Gush Etzion, maintaining Rachel's Tomb and the connection to the local authorities of Kiryat Arba and Efrat.”

Perl will serve for only 18 months – completing the term of the former authority head, Shaul Goldstein, who recently was appointed to head the Nature and Parks Authority.