MK Dov Khenin
Photo: Yaron Brener
Knesset Member Dov Khenin (Hadash)
announced Monday morning that he would be running for Tel Aviv mayor against current mayor, Ron Huldai.
MK Khenin, 50, is married and has three children. He is an attorney and has a Ph.D. in Political Science from Tel Aviv University.
Khenin will join the race on behalf of the "Ir Lekulanu" (a city for all of us) movement and will resign from the Knesset if he wins.
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Khenin has been an Israeli parliament member since the 17th Knesset and is considered one of the most prominent and diligent MKs, focusing on "green legislation". Before he was elected to the Knesset, Khenin specialized in public and constitutional law and was active in the field of human rights.
"I decided to run because Tel Aviv-Jaffa needs an alternative," Khenin told Ynet. "The municipality's existing policy cannot be maintained for five more years. I love Tel Aviv, I was born and raised here, but I know that my city has some very difficult problems.
"There is a large group of people in Tel Aviv on whom the city leans on the one hand, and pushes out on the other hand. I am naturally referring to the young people, the students and the young couples who cannot continue living in the city due to the expensive housing prices, which continue to rise.
"Veteran populations are also under pressure. Unfortunately, Huldai's policy is turning Tel Aviv into a city for the rich only."