Shimon Gapso has been the mayor of Upper Nazareth since he was elected in 2008. He succeeded Menachem Ariav, who had held the post for thirty years. Ariav was considered a powerhouse whose rule of the city went unchallenged. He had no qualms about waging fierce political battles. No one expected that his successor would be not only even more powerful than he had been, but also a violent racist who takes pride in his benighted ways.
Upper Nazareth, adjacent to the Arab city of Nazareth, was founded in 1956 as part of a program to “Judaize” the Galilee. It developed quickly over the years, and in 1974 it was declared a full-fledged city. Its population doubled in the 1990s, due largely to the wave of immigration from the former Soviet Union. New neighborhoods were built, and the city was transformed beyond recognition. Some of these newer neighborhoods, particularly Har Yonah, also attracted Arab residents.
