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"The coup against the local government" - voila! native

2023-03-26T09:48:12.685Z


Special for Walla!, an opinion column by Chen Arieli, deputy mayor of the Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality - "In October we will stand in front of the residents and ask for renewed trust. How can we ask for trust if we don't fight for our place?


In the last two months, the liberal democratic camp in Israel, a broad and diverse camp, an alliance of lovers of Israel, has placed the independence of the judiciary at the forefront of the common struggle.

Our first concern is directed to the principle of separation of powers that the most extreme and dangerous government in Israel's history is trying to abolish in practice.



But the judiciary will not be the only victim of the predatory coup.

Along with it, all the independent authorities in Israel will collapse, including the local authorities.

Municipalities, local and regional councils, are governing institutions for everything.

The heads of the authorities, unlike the government, are elected by direct election on the opinion of the majority of the residents of the authority.

Each local authority has broad powers - local legislation, enforcement, planning, tax collection, business activity policy and transportation including on Saturdays.



And more than that, the local authority is the first responder in the fields of education, welfare and social services.

It is the resident's first address in almost all daily matters.

The expectations of her are high and the responsibility on her shoulders is enormous.

Thus, when the coup is implemented and all governmental powers are concentrated in the hands of the central government, the local authorities will find themselves weakened, without the ability to influence and worse than that - without any source of protection for their rights, in the absence of an independent judicial authority.

Chen Arieli, Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality: Dictatorship harms all government institutions.

Also the local government (photo: official website, photo: Limor Ben Romano)

The government can pretty much do whatever it wants.

The nationalization of the property tax?

Probably.

Cancellation of planning powers?

with fun

Closing any activity on Saturdays?

overnight

Public transportation projects on Shabbat will be canceled, initiatives for gender equality or LGBT rights will be prohibited by law. The local authority will be a weak and weak arm of a domineering and aggressive government that concentrates unlimited powers in its hands. In view of this fact, on which all experts and professionals agree, it is amazing to see the silence



of The authorities either flocked to the bosom of "negotiations" and "broad consensus".



One hundred heads of authorities took part in the meeting with the President of the country and called for dialogue, but their voices and their moral, principled and professional position were not heard. Alone in the campaign are heads of authorities such as Amir Kochavi, Carmel Shama and of course Ron Huldai The mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo who was the first to say clearly: a dictatorship harms all government institutions, including the local government.



The role of elected officials is to protect the power of the local government and oppose the coup in any way and with a clear voice.

The government wants weak authorities that depend on it for all daily needs.

It relies on the heads of the authorities who need balance grants and development programs and ongoing budgetary support who will not dare to go against it.

This is exactly the reason why it is forbidden to be silent.

The local government must prepare for a general shutdown and an uncompromising struggle.



Those of us in the local government know how much power is already concentrated in the government to the point of blindness to the needs of the residents, to the point of harming the quality of life for all of us and the basic services we consume - the local government in Israel should be a clear voice in protest and lead a massive resistance with all possible tools, strong authorities alongside weak ones , Jewish cities next to Arab ones, deputies next to council members.

This is a wake-up call to take a stand and take action.



In October, we will stand in front of the residents and ask for renewed trust.

How can we ask for trust if we don't fight for our place?

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Source: walla

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