During a conference of the Takuma Administration with the communities of the envelope and Sderot with the participation of government representatives, which took place yesterday (Wednesday morning), the mayor of Sderot, Alon Davidi, came out in anger. A day earlier, he called the government's decision to return the residents of his city to their homes "delusional and stupid." "The mayor came out in anger – and he's right," says his deputy, Yehudit Ulliel Malka, on "My City," the municipal podcast of Israel Hayom. "We are very angry because nothing is clear. He, as mayor, says things with determination and care. Representatives sit down and say they are sitting with the heads of the local authorities when there never was and never was. The IDF Spokesperson said we were already preparing our return home. He didn't sit with anyone. The mayors stood in front of the entire crowd today and said that no one had spoken to them."
What is the main problem with returning to Sderot?
"There is no education system in the city, and on the other hand, the Home Front Command or the army don't say it's safe to live here. The city currently has about 6,000 inhabitants. At the moment, there are partially people who are there and responding."
Sderot children evacuated with "Hibuki" dolls at the Grand Court Hotel in Jerusalem, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
What do you realize they don't?
"Alon called it a dumb decision – and it really is. There's no thinking here. The optimal situation is first and foremost security. These are terrorists who entered our homes. I myself am afraid to enter my house."
Two and a half months after being evicted from the yeshiva, students of the Afiki Da'at Yeshiva from Sderot returned to the city // Photo: Yeshiva Sderot
The fighting will probably continue for many months, if not a year. Does that mean that for a year you will refuse to return to the city?
"Yes, if we don't have security. Otherwise we will return, the terrorists in Gaza will intensify again and there will be an infiltration again."
Dr. Orit Rishfi Lavie, head of the National Organization for Local Authority Councillors in Israel, said in the chapter that over the years the central government has retained its powers – and barely transferred them to the mayors. "On the issue of national resilience, it has become very clear that the local government is the government that is close to the residents and can provide a response not only in times of crisis," she says.
Ran Connick, Photo: Ronen Ackerman
Do you think councillors should be paid?
"Of course. But this is a whole system that needs to be talked about. You can't say we've seen that New Zealand or Wat Ever get and we want to. But the question of how to run local government is not just the money. That's a lot more. It should be a complete system. But we're still a long way away."
Finally, we spoke with Givatayim Mayor Ran Connick, who was ordered by the court to unblock the Twitter of a resident who criticized him on the grounds that his private account has public characteristics.
The full interview in episode 18 of "My City" from Israel Hayom. Listen to the episode - and other interesting episodes
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