The Mayor of the City of Jerusalem is head of the executive branch of the political system in Jerusalem. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within Jerusalem. The term of office is five years.
The mayor's office is located in Safra Square; it has jurisdiction over all the city's neighborhoods. The mayor appoints many officials, including deputy mayors and city departments directors.
History
The Jerusalem City Council was established in 1863 during the rule of the Ottoman Empire. From 1948 to 1967 two municipalities operated in the city: an Israeli municipality provided services to the western neighborhoods of the city and a Jordanian municipality to its eastern parts.
By 1840, the Jewish community constituted the largest single religious group in the city.[1] From the 1880s onward, the Jews constituted the majority within the city.[2] However, it was only in 1937, under the British Mandate, that the first Jewish mayor was appointed. Since 1948 every mayor has been Jewish.
Since 1975 law change, mayors have been directly elected in a two round system.[3] Under this system, if no candidate receives at least 40% of the vote in the first round, a runoff election is held between the top-two finishers.[3] The first municipal election to be held under the new law of direct elections for mayor was held in 1978.[4]
^ abAccording to Bernard Wasserstein (1977): "MUSA AL-'ALAMI was born in Jerusalem in 1897. His father, Faidi. Effendi al-'Alami, was a large landowner, Mayor of Jerusalem (1906–9)" Published in: Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 13, No. 2 (May 1977), pp. 171–194, Publisher:Taylor & Francis, Ltd.
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4282641