Shimon Lankri

Shimon Lankri (Hebrew: שמעון לנקרי‎) is the current mayor of Acre, Israel (Akko). He was first elected in 2003, and reelected in 2008 and 2013.

Lankri in 2014
Lankri (on left) visiting Galilee

In 2013, Lankri was shot by masked gunmen while he was driving near his home.[1][2][3] In 2015, Lankri visited Azerbaijan with the head of Acre's Azerbaijani Mountain Jews community.[4] In 2016, he was part of the inauguration of a ferry service between Haifa and Acre. The trip takes 45 minutes.[5][6] In 2017, Lankri and national government leaders announced plans to expand housing for a projected doubling of the city's size.[7]

Lankri was part of the opening of an American Corners in Acre.[8] Lankri is a member of Pnima, a group working to alleviate divisions among Jews in Israel.[9]

Lankri supports youth centers that double as pool halls.[10]

Arab-Jewish relations

Arab residents have expressed concerns about getting their fair share of services and schools, and have become increasingly concerned over very religious and nationalist settler Jews having moved to the city, but Lankri has said all residents are treated equally and supported development projects.[11] About 28 percent of the city is Arab and lives in a more run down section of the city.[11]

Lankri has been chairman of the Acre Festival.[12] In 2008 he cancelled the festival after clashes between Muslim and Jewish residents.[13]

In 2017, Lankri weighed in on a proposed ban of a Palestinian performance of a play about Palestinian prisoners in Israel from the Fringe Theater Festival of Acre.[14]

References
  1. Recovering Acre mayor tells all about assassination attempt Times of Israel, 31 March 2013
  2. Acre mayor ‘out of danger,’ lucky to be alive By PHILIP PODOLSKY, 22 Mar 2013
  3. https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-arrest-four-in-shooting-of-acre-mayor/ Police arrest four in shooting of Acre mayor by TOI STAFF 28 Oct 2013
  4. 02/11/15 CITY NOTES: ACRE MAYOR GUEST OF HONOR IN AZERBAIJAN compiled by Tamara Zieve February 11, 2015 Jerusalem Post
  5. "After over a decade of dreaming, tourist ferry connects Haifa, Acre".
  6. Podolsky, Philip; Ahren, Raphael; AP; Gross, Judah Ari; Agencies; Agencies; Agencies (22 March 2013). "Acre mayor 'out of danger,' lucky to be alive". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  7. "Akko to double in size - Globes English". Globes.
  8. State Magazine, Issue 531; Issues 533-540, Front Cover, U.S. Department of State, 2009 - Diplomatic and consular service, American page 4
  9. Former Israeli Army Chiefs Launch 'Apolitical' Movement to Heal Society's Rifts by Lee Yaron 03.04.2017 Haaretz
  10. "In Akko, Pool Halls Keep Youth from Falling into Corner Pocket". Israel National News.
  11. "Devout Israeli Jews adopt settler ethos, move to Arab-Jewish cities to cement Jewish presence". 4 October 2012.
  12. Lis, Jonathan (11 June 2017). "President Rivlin Speaks Out Against Israel's Proposed University Ethics Code" – via Haaretz.
  13. National Minority, Regional Majority: Palestinian Arabs Versus Jews in Israel, Front Cover, Yitzhak Reiter, Syracuse University Press, 2009 page 287
  14. Israeli Culture Minister Backs Festival Ban of Play About Palestinians by Yair Ashkenazi 06.06.2017 Haaretz
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