He is the son of the leading Moroccan rabbi Israel Abuhatzeira, also known as the Baba Sali,[1] and thus scion of the Abu Hasira/Abuhatzeira family.

He was elected deputy mayor in Ashkelon, and served on the city council as the leader of the local MAFDAL (National-Religious Party) faction.

[4] Subsequently, however, the daily newspaper Hadashot published Abuhatzeira's letters to a woman who was not his wife, which he had written during his stint in prison.

[5] Abuhatzeira sued to prevent publication of the letters, but was denied, in part on the basis that the community he desired to lead had a legitimate interest in knowing his character.

In 2010, Netivot's city comptroller, Shimon Alon was arrested on suspicion of paying a young woman to seduce Ifargan and photograph him in intimate positions, allegedly at Abuhatzeira's behest, with the aim of tarnishing his image.