Barkat responds to claims: "I did not drop the Haredim "

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, held a special session for evaluating the municipality following the difficult storm activity, especially the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. Mayor condemned statements that the municipality's policy in dealing with the consequences of the storm was active discrimination against Orthodox neighborhoods in the city, so to speak, and rejected them outright. Expanded discussion also engaged in addressing school division opening of the Haredi education system and the mayor and his team even toured the haredi neighborhoods throughout the city.

Those in attendance of the meeting and took part besides the mayor, city manager Yosf Heyman, chief of staff Mrs. Shelem , deputy mayor and chairman of the religious faction , Orthodox Education Division Director Itamar Bar – Ezer, Mrs. Ariela Rajuan education Affairs Advisor to the Mayor, and consultants of the mayor in the Haredi sector.

Mayor Nir Barkat said at the special meeting that he understands the plight excess according to representatives of the factions, and that the difficulty is a thing of all residents, compared with the national emergency Jerusalem immersed and trying to recover from it. "The municipality's emergency teams are working around the clock and with exemplary devotion, for regulating traffic and residents returning to normal life." City Manager Yosef Heyman asked the help of representatives of the religious faction preparing residents to the area after the storm, dealing with piles of garbage and huge amounts of trees left on city streets due to snow and evacuation is done now.

The mayor praised in his words the Orthodox managed by the city municipal council on close cooperation and being attentive and stand for public urban system dispatchers against the departments and divisions, especially during the harsh storm and its aftermath. Barkat has rejected statements made by certain factors stating there was discrimination against haredim. "I would like to postpone these words which disgust me. Unthinkable that someone at the Jerusalem municipality will try to think of a policy of this kind, which is unacceptable to me, is not worthy and sensible", the mayor said, adding that there is one law for all citizens and major traffic arteries in all neighborhoods without difference, repeatedly evicted by municipal plows.

"The initiative and order of the city manager, I ordered to clear haredi neighborhoods immediately after Shabbos, and we updated all the time what is happening in every neighborhood in the city, without any difference," explained Barkat. Later he praised the rescue organizations work the area around the clock for residents.

After the special tour Barkat said that "the Jerusalem Municipality is dealing with the consequences of a storm that brought a rare intensity on national emergency and works to restore the routine of town as fast as possible with discretion and responsibility." He also said that the event was prepared for by the municipality all means and that means working with the best hand at the moment too. Referring to the problems created during the last days Barkat announced that as done in any unusual event, the municipality will prepare comprehensive learning lessons with the aim of improving and streamlining various processes, together with all relevant parties involved

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!