Itamar Shimoni
{{Short description|Israeli politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = איתמר שימעוני.jpg
| order = 13th Mayor of Ashkelon
| term_start = 2013
| term_end = 2017
| predecessor = Benny Vaknin
| successor = Tomer Gla'am
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1968|04|9}}
| spouse = Revital Shimoni
| native_name = איתמר שמעוני
| native_name_lang = he
}}
Itamar Shimoni ({{langx|he|איתמר שמעוני}}; born 1968) is an Israeli politician. He was the mayor of Ashkelon from 2013 to 2017.
Biography
Itamar Shimoni earned a B.A. in Business Administration, Engineering in Industrial Management.{{Cite web | title=HLS 2014 | url=http://www.israelhls2014.com/speaker.ehtml?account=1620038 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129033937/http://www.israelhls2014.com/speaker.ehtml?account=1620038 | access-date=2025-01-01 | archive-date=2014-11-29}} He has three children."Maayan Jaffe: Meet The Mayor"http://jewishtimes.com/16813/meet-the-mayor/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129051122/http://jewishtimes.com/16813/meet-the-mayor/ |date=29 November 2014 }}
Business career
Shimon was CEO of Atarim, Creative Manager at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, and CEO of Dasco, an Israeli furniture manufacturer.
Political career
In October 2013, Shimoni became mayor of Ashkelon when he defeated the incumbent, Benny Vaknin, who had served four terms. In his war on organized crime in the city, he ordered the closure of a restaurant owned by crime boss Shalom Domrani's family."Ashkelon Mayor Declares War on Crime Bosses(Nov 13, 2013)"http://www.5towns.com/ashkelon-mayor-declares-war-on-crime-bosses/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129043733/http://www.5towns.com/ashkelon-mayor-declares-war-on-crime-bosses/ |date=29 November 2014 }} In November 2013, he evacuated Ashkelon schools found to have high levels of radiation."Ashkelon: Schools Exposed to High Radiation Evacuated"http://www.dealnj.com/ashkelon-schools-exposed-to-high-radiation-evacuated/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129043627/http://www.dealnj.com/ashkelon-schools-exposed-to-high-radiation-evacuated/ |date=29 November 2014 }}
In November 2014, Shimoni announced that Arab construction workers would be banned from projects on the grounds of Israeli schools and kindergartens. This was in response to the 2014 Jerusalem synagogue massacre earlier that week, where two Palestinians from East Jerusalem killed four Jews and a Druze policeman."Josef Federman 'Israeli mayor's ban on Arab workers ignites uproar' (Nov 20, 2014)" https://news.yahoo.com/israel-military-gaza-militants-test-rockets-090940001.html Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and MKs denounced the ban, which they said was racist and illegal."Matan Tzuri: Ashkelon mayorNo Arab construction workers in kindergartens (Nov 21, 2014)" http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4594006,00.html Economy Minister Naftali Bennett said he would work to overturn Shimoni's order."Shirly Seidler: Ashkelon mayor bars Arab construction workers from local kindergartens(Nov 20, 2014)" http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/1.627441 Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein warned Shimoni against implementing his discriminatory plan, saying it would have serious legal ramifications."The times of Israel Staff and Spencer Ho: Ashkelon warned over Arab worker ban, as poll shows public support (Nov 20, 2014)"http://www.timesofisrael.com/ashkelon-mayor-warned-over-arab-worker-ban-but-public-backs-move/ On the Sunday following his remarks, Shimoni said that he was trying to address concerns of parents, but would allow construction to continue, with children moved to a different venue until completion."Ho, Spencer 'Ashkelon reportedly to let Arab workers finish kindergarten shelters' Times of Israel (Nov 23, 2014)"http://www.timesofisrael.com/ashkelon-reportedly-to-let-arab-workers-finish-kindergarten-shelters/
Shimoni was arrested on 5 January 2016 on charges of bribery, breach of trust, money laundering and rape.{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/ashkelon-mayor-arrested-on-rape-bribery-allegations/|title=Ashkelon mayor arrested on rape, bribery allegations|author=Pileggi, Tamar|work=The Times of Israel|date=January 5, 2016|accessdate=November 19, 2018}} In May 2016, he returned to City Hall.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com:443/Israel-News/After-rape-hush-money-arrest-Ashkelon-mayor-back-on-the-job-454293|title=After rape, hush money arrest, Ashkelon mayor back on the job|date=18 May 2016|website=The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com}} The sex crime allegations were dropped due to lack of evidence.{{cite web | url=https://www.makorrishon.co.il/news/83777/ | title="המשפט קורס ואני מאמין שאחזור לכהן" | date=18 October 2018 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shimoni, Itamar}}
Category:Jewish Israeli politicians