Gershon Mesika (Hebrew: גרשון מסיקה, born 5 July 1952) an Israeli lawyer and politician. He has served as head of the Shomron Regional Council, but has been detained as a result of his role in a "massive corruption scandal", and subsequently replaced by acting head Yossi Dagan.[1]
Early lifeedit
Mesika was born in Ashdod in Israel to a Tunisian-Jewish family. He is an Israeli lawyer. Since 1982, he has lived in the Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh with his wife and family. He previously owned a local armored limousine service.[2]
In November 2007, he was elected director of Shomron Regional local government. Immediately after being elected as head of the Shomron Regional Council, Mesika took on the issue of restoring Joseph's Tomb in the city of Nablus.[3] Under Mesika direction ongoing efforts have been since the end of 2007 to renovate the site.[4]
Politicsedit
As a leader of the Israeli settlers in the West Bank, Mesika called on his constituents to vote right in the 2009 Knesset elections. In a letter to his constituents, Mesika wrote "It doesn't matter which nationalist camp party you vote for, the main thing is to vote!". He also called upon the residents to "get involved and help out the nationalist parties, each person according to his or her preference. The main thing is to volunteer and act in order to strengthen the nationalist camp".[5]
He has called on Jewish families living in West Bank settlements to have more children to continue the exponential growth in the area.[6] As an advocate for growth in the Jewish communities in the Shomron, Mesika symbolic tore up building freeze orders issued by Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak. He termed the restrictions aimed at Jewish population only as racist decree and called on the Israel government to support the growth and development of these communities.[7][8]
In 2008, he appointed strategic advisor and local activist David Ha'ivri to head the Shomron Liaison Office[9] as part of an overall effort to improve the public image of the Jewish settlements in the region. Tours for elected officials and journalists[10] are part of this ongoing public relations effort.
In 2013, police began investigating a company, The Central Company for the Development of Samaria, which is involved in developing West Bank settlements, and where Mesika was chairman of the board. The police acted on suspicions of bribery, embezzlement and tax fraud of over NIS 10 million over the previous 5-year period. The company is co-owned by the Shomron Regional Council, which governs many settlements in the West Bank, and by settlement association coops. The firm is involved in construction and also runs a line of bullet-proof buses.[11]
At the end of 2014, Mesika was initially arrested, then eight days later released to house arrest in his home in Elon Moreh, as part of a wide-ranging police investigation into corruption. As part of the arrangement, he is forbidden to leave Israel for a 90-day period. He is prohibited from entering the Shomron Regional Council for 30 days, and from entering the Company for Development of Samaria for 60 days.[12]
On 22 November 2015 he drove his car into a 16 year old Palestinian girl near the Hawara army checkpoint. She was reported to have been about to attack a settler with a knife. A soldier and a civilian then shot the girl dead.[13][14]
In 2019 Mesika founded the law firm Barak, Mesika & Kaikov, along with Adv. Hillel Barak and Meir Kaikov.
^Council Head Gershon Mesika – Personal Profile 21 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Shomron Regional Council
^Hundreds of settlers enter Joseph's Tomb Ynetnews, 25 December 2008
^Joseph’s Tomb Gets a Paint Job After 9 Years of Arab Desecration Israel National News, 25 December 2008
^Yesha Leaders: Make Sure to Vote Nationalist Israel National News, 3 February 2009
^Katz, Mesika Praise Yesha Population Growth Israel National News, 27 July 2009
^"Israel to Recruit More Building Inspectors to Enforce a Freeze on West Bank Construction (Published 2009)". The New York Times. from the original on 26 November 2022.
^No to building freeze – Shomron Council head Gershon Mesika on YouTube
^. Archived from the original on 12 April 2010. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
^"Gil Ronen 'Samaria Leader Mesika Released to House Arrest' (1 Jan 2015) Arutz Sheva" in 22 November 2015n a Palestinian child was killed by hem --- in claimed she hase a knife intend to attack the Israeli army http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/189410#.VKhLcShYQ3Q
^According to the Ma'an News Agency it was Mesika who shot the teenager.
April 11, 2024
gershon, mesika, hebrew, גרשון, מסיקה, born, july, 1952, israeli, lawyer, politician, served, head, shomron, regional, council, been, detained, result, role, massive, corruption, scandal, subsequently, replaced, acting, head, yossi, dagan, early, life, editmes. Gershon Mesika Hebrew גרשון מסיקה born 5 July 1952 an Israeli lawyer and politician He has served as head of the Shomron Regional Council but has been detained as a result of his role in a massive corruption scandal and subsequently replaced by acting head Yossi Dagan 1 Early life editMesika was born in Ashdod in Israel to a Tunisian Jewish family He is an Israeli lawyer Since 1982 he has lived in the Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh with his wife and family He previously owned a local armored limousine service 2 In November 2007 he was elected director of Shomron Regional local government Immediately after being elected as head of the Shomron Regional Council Mesika took on the issue of restoring Joseph s Tomb in the city of Nablus 3 Under Mesika direction ongoing efforts have been since the end of 2007 to renovate the site 4 Politics editAs a leader of the Israeli settlers in the West Bank Mesika called on his constituents to vote right in the 2009 Knesset elections In a letter to his constituents Mesika wrote It doesn t matter which nationalist camp party you vote for the main thing is to vote He also called upon the residents to get involved and help out the nationalist parties each person according to his or her preference The main thing is to volunteer and act in order to strengthen the nationalist camp 5 He has called on Jewish families living in West Bank settlements to have more children to continue the exponential growth in the area 6 As an advocate for growth in the Jewish communities in the Shomron Mesika symbolic tore up building freeze orders issued by Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak He termed the restrictions aimed at Jewish population only as racist decree and called on the Israel government to support the growth and development of these communities 7 8 In 2008 he appointed strategic advisor and local activist David Ha ivri to head the Shomron Liaison Office 9 as part of an overall effort to improve the public image of the Jewish settlements in the region Tours for elected officials and journalists 10 are part of this ongoing public relations effort In 2013 police began investigating a company The Central Company for the Development of Samaria which is involved in developing West Bank settlements and where Mesika was chairman of the board The police acted on suspicions of bribery embezzlement and tax fraud of over NIS 10 million over the previous 5 year period The company is co owned by the Shomron Regional Council which governs many settlements in the West Bank and by settlement association coops The firm is involved in construction and also runs a line of bullet proof buses 11 At the end of 2014 Mesika was initially arrested then eight days later released to house arrest in his home in Elon Moreh as part of a wide ranging police investigation into corruption As part of the arrangement he is forbidden to leave Israel for a 90 day period He is prohibited from entering the Shomron Regional Council for 30 days and from entering the Company for Development of Samaria for 60 days 12 On 22 November 2015 he drove his car into a 16 year old Palestinian girl near the Hawara army checkpoint She was reported to have been about to attack a settler with a knife A soldier and a civilian then shot the girl dead 13 14 In 2019 Mesika founded the law firm Barak Mesika amp Kaikov along with Adv Hillel Barak and Meir Kaikov References edit http www ynetnews com articles 0 7340 L 4610866 00 html Itamar Eichner US embassy Diplomats did not pull guns on settlers 3 Jan 2015 Ynet Council Head Gershon Mesika Personal Profile Archived 21 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Shomron Regional Council Hundreds of settlers enter Joseph s Tomb Ynetnews 25 December 2008 Joseph s Tomb Gets a Paint Job After 9 Years of Arab Desecration Israel National News 25 December 2008 Yesha Leaders Make Sure to Vote Nationalist Israel National News 3 February 2009 Katz Mesika Praise Yesha Population Growth Israel National News 27 July 2009 Israel to Recruit More Building Inspectors to Enforce a Freeze on West Bank Construction Published 2009 The New York Times Archived from the original on 26 November 2022 No to building freeze Shomron Council head Gershon Mesika on YouTube The Shomron Liaison Office website Archived from the original on 12 April 2010 Retrieved 20 April 2010 TV Celeb Visits Jews in Samaria Haim Levinson Police suspect West Bank settlement developer of bribery tax fraud 20 Nov 2013 Haaretz http www haaretz com news national premium 1 559055 Gil Ronen Samaria Leader Mesika Released to House Arrest 1 Jan 2015 Arutz Sheva in 22 November 2015n a Palestinian child was killed by hem in claimed she hase a knife intend to attack the Israeli army http www israelnationalnews com News News aspx 189410 VKhLcShYQ3Q Haaretz 22 November 2014 11 23 Giil Cohen According to the Ma an News Agency it was Mesika who shot the teenager Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gershon Mesika amp oldid 1167761815, wikipedia, 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