Weekly Update 67

December 26, 2025

Hello everyone,

• First topic: I continue to reveal the facts to the public regarding the joint employment zone. A plan that has been promoted for 15 years, and now that construction is about to begin—the head of the local council announced Zichron Yaakov’s withdrawal from the joint zone and a shift to an independent construction plan. Why? Who benefits from this? And why aren’t the coalition members asking questions? Read on and listen to the radio program where I was interviewed on the subject and revealed that the Israel Land Authority and the Ministry of the Interior—the initiators of the zone—did not receive prior notice from the council head regarding the withdrawal and refused to respond to the reporter’s inquiry.

Link to the radio program: https://90fm.co.il/hkhltt-rash-mvatst-zykrvn-yakb-lprvsh-mhtvknyt-lhkmt-azvr-tashyyh-mshvtp-pvgat-btvshbym-vbpytvkh-hazvr/

• Second topic: Good news for residents of HaTapuach and Shikma Streets—the work that began on their streets in August was completed this week. Residents of HaShazif Street are still waiting. I, too, am awaiting a response from the Ministry of the Interior regarding information about a project where there is more hidden than revealed.
• Third topic: Replacement of rotten streetlight poles on Aharon Road. A major disaster was narrowly averted there, and I thank the Operations Department for their quick and thorough response.
• Fourth topic: Scholarships for outstanding youth and student scholarships

First issue: My ongoing handling of Zichron Yaakov’s announcement of withdrawal from the joint employment zone.

Following the investigations I have continued to conduct, my opinion is only reinforced that the council head’s decision to withdraw is illogical and causes significant harm to the community, likely benefiting only the private landowners within Zichron Yaakov’s area of the complex. See below for a list of the private landowners profiting from the withdrawal from the joint employment zone.

This is a plan that was launched 15 years ago!! Millions of shekels and thousands of hours of work have been invested in it. The current council head was the one who, during his previous term, adopted the Ministry of the Interior’s plan to establish a joint employment zone for Zichron Yaakov and Hof Carmel, with 30% of the property tax revenues from this zone to be shared with Fa’aradis and Jisr Az-Zarqa. Council Head Ziv Deshe also continued this work, as did Abutbul, who, upon entering this term, supported the plan, including the establishment of an employment zone administration. A few months ago, we on the council were asked to select the council representative for the administration (Natanel Goldberg from New Contract). And suddenly—just before we reach the stage where the conditions for the infrastructure development tender are finalized!!—Abutbul presents us with reasons at the council meeting that I have shown here to be incorrect or inconsistent with reality.

After the publication of Newsletter 65, which addressed the issue, the council head promised to hold a special meeting to present the matter, without specifying when it would take place. But I’m not pinning my hopes on that, because as usual, we’ll only hear his version of events—without facts and without objective professionals. So what’s the point?

Radio 90’s diligent reporter, Itamar Rotem, decided to delve into the depths of this surprising announcement and reached out for comments as early as last week. This week, on his show on Radio 90FM, about fifteen minutes were dedicated to the topic, including new and surprising revelations. After the reporter contacted the Ministry of the Interior and the Israel Land Authority (ILA) to request their position on Zichron Yaakov’s secession, it emerged that the council head had not notified the ILA or the Ministry of the Interior of the secession at all; consequently, they refused to respond to the reporter’s inquiry and directed him to seek a response from the council head. However, the mayor refused to respond to the reporter’s inquiry.

This is not the first time that Abutbul has refused to respond to media inquiries when they concern issues that allegedly portray him in a negative light. He is, however, eager to be interviewed on topics where he comes across well. I believe that an elected official must report to the public and must respond to media inquiries on any matter related to his work. This includes uncomfortable topics that require him to provide answers.

And a word about the coalition members—it seems they accept any explanation the council head gives without verifying it, without seeking the opinion of an objective professional, and without checking the facts themselves.

• The council head explained at the meeting that the reason for Zichron’s withdrawal from the employment zone is that the Israel Land Authority is delaying development because of Zichron. None of them bothered to check whether this is indeed the reason for the delay in construction. Had they checked—as I did—they would have discovered that one of the reasons, for example, is the need to relocate fuel lines running through the plan area, and this has nothing to do with Zichron Yaakov.
• The council head says at the plenary session that Zichron Yaakov will establish its own employment zone because most of the land registered with our council is privately owned, and thus the Israel Land Authority will not be able to squeeze us again. None of the coalition members bothered to check whether this fact is true. If they had looked into it (and all the information is available on the Planning Administration’s website), they would have seen that most of Zichron’s land is owned by the JNF and the Israel Land Authority—so even if we wanted to develop our own zone, we would be dependent on the Israel Land Authority.
• If they had checked, they would have seen that only 80 dunams are privately owned. If they had checked, they would have understood who the private landowners are. And it appears that the private landowners are the ones who stand to gain the most from the separation. Because now, according to what the council head said at the meeting, he will promote a separate construction plan for them, distinct from the joint employment zone.
• If they had checked, they would have discovered that a separate employment zone for Zichron requires a new plan, an investment of money and time that could take many years. Whereas the joint employment zone has already gone through all these stages and is right on the verge of construction. So there is no connection to the Zichron plan, which will be built in seven years anyway.

At the meeting where the resignation was announced—I was shocked by the news and won’t speak until I have the facts. I dig deeper first, I investigate. And when I uncover facts that completely contradict what the council head said—it is my duty as a council member to bring them to the public’s attention. So that you can raise your voices and stop this move that harms the community.

So what do the coalition members do in light of the information I’ve revealed to the public? They attack me personally. Yes, they attack the person and certainly not the issue itself. And again, they’re waiting for the council head’s response. Why should they check it themselves? And when I do check and present facts—I always get hit with a personal attack from them.

You are invited to read Councilwoman Odelya Kadmi’s response to the post I uploaded on this topic on the Open Forum. And what I replied to her there. Tzachi Baruch has been a council member for 18 years! He served in Abutbul’s previous term and remembers well what happens when the council head isn’t checked and held accountable with facts. He aligns himself with Kadmi’s position and thus continues his offensive line of attack against me. I won’t disclose correspondence between council members. But believe me, this is his modus operandi—to insult me personally. He’s never interested in facts.

Only public pressure from all the residents of Zichron can bring about change. Only pressure will compel the mayor to prioritize the welfare of all residents over that of a handful of private landowners. That is why I ask each and every one of you—to visit the post I uploaded, listen to the radio program, share it, and write a comment.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/695289533861821/permalink/25732694573027971/?rdid=6Hs3MAzylu3fwN3Y#

Second topic: Good news for the residents of HaTapuach and HaShikma Streets, and less so for the residents of HaShazif Street.

Good news: the repaving of HaTapuch and HaShikma Streets was completed yesterday—after the storm drains were installed and the sidewalks were fixed. The saga for the residents of these streets, which began in August, has come to an end. As I wrote here last week, it doesn’t take 10 days to finish paving two fairly small streets—so it’s good that it was finished early. You’ve read here in the newsletters time and again about this project, which still has more hidden than revealed, and I’m waiting for a response from the Ministry of the Interior, to which I wrote a letter two weeks ago.

Those still in the midst of a nightmare are the residents of HaShazif Street—where the project hasn’t ended, or more accurately, hasn’t even begun. And it’s unclear when the paving work will be completed. When there’s no proper management, even important projects turn into a nuisance and a nightmare for residents.

Third issue: The collapse of a streetlight on Aharon Road led to the rapid replacement of all streetlights that were on unstable bases

A few hours ago, in the middle of the night, a streetlight on Aharon Road suddenly collapsed, fell, and blocked the road. By a miracle, no other car was passing by at that exact moment; otherwise, it would have ended in a major disaster. The Operations Department rushed to inspect all the streetlights on Aharon Road and found that they were all on unstable bases and could collapse at any moment. The Council Chairman acted correctly; due to the imminent danger of additional poles collapsing and the risk to pedestrian safety, he ordered the poles replaced even before the Council plenary session approved the budget for the repairs. It was simply not possible to wait until the meeting. When we arrived at the meeting, we all voted in favor of the expenditure retroactively.

Special thanks to the Operations Department, which acted quickly and efficiently. The issue of aging infrastructure requires constant inspection and replacement. Hence, this appeal to you: if you encounter a hazard—a rickety pole, a dangerous structure, exposed electrical wires, a broken sidewalk, or anything else—please call 106 repeatedly until you are informed that the hazard has been addressed.

Fourth Topic: Scholarships for Outstanding Youth and Student Scholarships

The Zamarin Community Center and the Rotary Club are continuing the scholarship program that has become a tradition.

Groundbreaking Youth – A scholarship of 4,000 NIS is awarded to young men and women who have excelled in their activities

Male and female students from Zichron Yaakov – a scholarship of 2,500 NIS through the Rotary Club and the Council.

Details and application deadlines are available at the Zamarin Community Center, the Rotary Club, and the local council offices.