Jerusalem Mayor Calls for More Local Control Over Education

At the MUNI EXPO 2026 conference on Tuesday, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon said local authorities should receive broader powers in education and described how Jerusalem has prepared for emergencies during wartime.

Leon said one of the main changes he would want is a major expansion of municipal authority over schools. “There is no doubt that I would make a significant change in education, I would ask for more authority in education matters,” he said. He added that transportation is also moving in that direction already, saying, “And of course, transportation, something we are already receiving now.”

Addressing the security situation, Leon said Jerusalem experienced fewer air raid sirens than central Israel during the war. “We had about half the number of sirens that there were in the center, and fortunately there were not many impacts, except for one or two,” he said.

Leon stressed the need for readiness in emergencies and said the city can respond quickly when needed. “I would prefer that we never have to experience this kind of trial at all, but I have no doubt that if something happens, we know how to activate the systems from zero to one hundred,” he said. He added that Jerusalem operates an active emergency command center to answer residents in real time, and concluded, “Taking care of residents is really not simple, but we did it very successfully.”