Weekly Update 40

June 6, 2025

Hello, everyone.

Four topics in this issue of our newsletter. Here is a summary:

• Council Member Ilan Amrani has left our party—the “For the Moshava” party—and joined the coalition.
• Families of Reserve Forces personnel—these are the initiatives the Council is promoting in collaboration with the Reserve Forces Women’s Forum, whose representative, Ms. Gal Perry, spoke to Council members this week.
• Closing the deficit. Ziv Deshe’s hard work during his term has come to an end. This week we were informed that the accumulated deficit has been closed, and for the first time, the council ended the fourth quarter of 2024 with a small budget surplus. Read how Ziv achieved this and why it is imperative that we, the council members, ensure the deficit does not resurface during this term.
• The cat is out of the bag—the council head explained at the last council meeting why no one is responding to my emails, which I send on behalf of the public. He admitted that he and the council staff, on his orders, do not respond to my inquiries but do respond to inquiries from all other council members. They respond to them but not to me—because, according to him, I spread lies and fabricate stories about them. In response, I continue to send emails and expose the truth. That is who I am: a public representative who upholds the values and principles for which I was elected to the council. Read on for the astonishing exchange that took place during the meeting.

First topic: A council member from our party left the party and joined the coalition with the mandate

Everyone surely knows that Ilan Amrani was active in our party for many years alongside Ziv Deshe and did a great deal for the public and the community. With the three seats we received in the last election, Ilan joined the council. But unfortunately, we were unable to convince him to remain with our party and serve from the opposition. Or, alternatively, to resign and make way for the next person on our party’s list, who was right to join the council and serve from the opposition benches, since we were elected on the basis of very clear principles.

Ilan holds the party’s seat and transferred it this week to the coalition, which now consists of 10 council members. According to Abutbul at the meeting, Ilan responded to his many appeals and joined the coalition not for a paid position, but he was granted authority and a scope of responsibility as the person in charge of infrastructure. I wish Ilan success in his role. Although, in my opinion, he contributed more within our party.

We are left with five opposition members: Avigayil Dolav and I from the “Lema’an HaMoshava” party, and the three members of “New Contract”—Yigal Hakar, Netanel Goldberg, and Dudi Rosenzwig. We are five people who bear the burden of asking questions, investigating, and scrutinizing, since the other coalition members remain silent during meetings. Without a substantive and focused opposition like ours—the meetings would be very short, with only Abutbul speaking, and many poor decisions would be made.

That is why I need your help—add as many people as possible to the newsletter. Send me emails of other people who will receive the information every Friday. Because they won’t silence us.

Second topic: Families of reserve soldiers

At the meeting, Gal Peri, a resident of Zichron Yaakov, spoke. Her husband, Tom, is a reservist who has been mobilized for hundreds of days. Gal is active in the Reserve Women’s Forum, an organization established after October 7 that works extensively in the Knesset to push for legislative changes benefiting these families. In Israel, there are 100,000 reservists with families, representing 1% of the population who bear the heaviest burden of all while risking their lives. In Zichron Yaakov, there are 1,000 registered families of reservists. Of course, there are many more reservists who are single. Gal came to us on this special day honoring reservists to request the council’s assistance in providing support to families, and especially to children who face many difficulties due to their fathers’ prolonged absence from home. I won’t elaborate on what she shared—but there is a significant challenge that requires all of us, as a society, to rally to their aid.

• The Council Chair reported that, under his direction, schools have identified the children of reservists and are prepared to provide them with additional support. The Council’s psychological services are also taking similar action.
• The council is providing free blue-and-white parking for the entire year 2025 to those who register with the council, and hundreds have already signed up. This is a measure we approved at the council plenary session.
• Many businesses in Zichron Yaakov offer discounts to anyone who shows proof of reserve duty service at the store (this is the IDF wallet app on your phone)

So if you or your loved ones and acquaintances are part of a reserve duty family, you can contact the council member responsible for reserve duty affairs—Roni Knishtain—who can also add you to the existing community group dedicated to mutual assistance for reserve duty families.

Third Topic: Closing the Council’s Accumulated Deficit

At the last meeting, we received the council’s report for Q4 2024, which shows that, thankfully, the accumulated deficit of 64,000,000 NIS has been closed—the same amount as eight years ago in June 2016 when Abutbul resigned. Additionally, a small surplus of 2.5 million NIS has been maintained.

After approximately 8 years during which our party, “Lema’an HaMoshava,” led responsible and transparent financial management, the accumulated deficit—which had severely burdened the Council’s operations from a financial standpoint—was closed in 2024!!

How did all this happen? Very simply—through prudent and transparent management. A successful efficiency plan that included favorable loans and increased revenue for the local authority, all while expanding services. Additionally, in the 2024 fiscal year, a debt of 6.9 million NIS was received from the water corporation regarding the repayment of a loan from the corporation’s owners to the authority.

The efforts to recover the funds from the water corporation, led by former Council Head Ziv Deshe, who insisted on the repayment of this debt, were conducted in recent years through discussions with the water corporation, the Water Authority, and the Haifa District Administration, throughout his term and particularly in 2022 and 2023.

When it appeared that the matter was not nearing a resolution, Council Head Ziv Deshe ordered the filing of a lawsuit for the required amounts. Following negotiations during those years, settlements were reached in 2024, resulting in the receipt of millions of shekels from the water corporation. These funds effectively eliminated the accumulated deficit entirely and established the principle of a balanced budget, which has been in place for several years. Additional funds may be transferred from the corporation in the future. At the meeting, Abutbul did not see fit to mention his predecessor’s actions in this matter and attributed the receipt of the corporation’s funds to his own work.

Our party will support any action taken by the council administration to maintain transparent and professional financial management.

Fourth Issue: The Council Chairman openly admits that he is deliberately not responding to me, including his instruction to Council staff not to answer my emails and inquiries

At the last meeting, a question I submitted regarding the renovation of Nuri’s kiosk—the old building in Gan Tiul—was discussed. The question addressed the building permit for the structure, rights regarding the leased area, etc. I was forced to submit it because for three months now, I have received no response to my emails on this matter. And I receive no response to any email, in general.

In fact, when they don’t respond to me—they aren’t responding to you! Because I am your voice in the council plenary.

At the meeting, the council chairman answered the inquiry not because he wanted to, but because it is his duty under the Local Authorities Ordinance and he cannot avoid it. The council chairman answered very laconically. But at least he answered. I am studying his response because part of it is troubling and raises issues.

Following his response, I asked: What was so “difficult” about answering me three months ago when I sent an email with the same questions? To my astonishment, he replied that he does not answer me on purpose. And that while he answers all the other council members from the opposition, he will not answer me, nor will the other council staff.

“If you want the same treatment I give others—then no slander, no lies, no persecution.”

I replied, “So this is the carrot-and-stick approach you’re offering me.”

Abutbul replied, “What stick? You’re the only one with a stick, and you’re constantly hitting us with it.”

Abutbul continued, “Don’t write emails—it’s a waste of time.” Minute 41 of the meeting, for those who want to watch.

These remarks add to the abusive tone directed at me during meetings and the threats and harsh words he sent me in an email in which I also asked questions. I reported that email to you here.

I am considering how to proceed with this matter because threats and boycotts will not deter me or prevent me from working for you.

I want to remind the council head and members of his coalition (who read these newsletters) that Israel and our community are still a democracy, and that as a council member, I have the right—and indeed the duty—to ask questions, to criticize, and to expose his lies (see his lies regarding the roadblock on Malchei Yisrael Street, and there are many other examples).

Again, this is why I need your help—add as many people as possible to the newsletter. Send me emails of other people who will receive the information every Friday. Because they won’t silence us.