Mayor Refuses to Join Netanyahu Visit, Forcing Cancellation

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's planned visit to the southern city of Netivot last Tuesday was canceled after the city's mayor, Yechiel Zohar, refused to accompany him. Zohar, a prominent figure within the Likud party, stated that while Netanyahu was free to visit, he would not participate if the prime minister came to Netivot. Netanyahu was touring southern Israel with Deputy Minister Almog Cohen, visiting Ofakim and Sderot, and had intended to include Netivot, a traditional Likud stronghold, in his itinerary.

Sources within Likud indicated that Zohar's anger stemmed from a recent decision by a border committee to deny Netivot thousands of dunams of land from the Negev for residential and industrial development. Zohar is considered a powerful political force within Likud, controlling over 3,000 party members who actively participate in primaries. His influence is such that other Likud ministers often seek to appease him, and the city has seen significant investment.

This is not the first time Zohar has expressed strong opinions regarding Netanyahu's decisions. About a month prior, Zohar publicly criticized Netanyahu's use of reserved spots on the Likud's electoral list, particularly the reservation for veteran politician Haim Katz. Zohar argued that Katz should have competed in the primaries to demonstrate his electoral strength, questioning the value of such reservations for established figures.

Netivot is a city of over 60,000 residents that has experienced significant development during Zohar's tenure. Zohar himself declined to comment on the matter.