Beyond a Smart City: How the Next Generation of Local Government in Israel Will Look
The next generation of solutions for local authorities / Courtesy of the Local Government Center in Israel
Local government in Israel has reached a turning point in recent years. Municipalities are required to deal simultaneously with security challenges, strain on city services, climate change, complex community needs and a digital revolution that is changing the way residents expect to receive services. Against this backdrop, urban innovation is no longer just a future promise, but a daily working tool.
In recent years, local authorities in Israel have become much more than bodies responsible for garbage collection, education and street maintenance. COVID-19, prolonged wars, security challenges, population growth, the climate crisis and the digital revolution are forcing municipal leaders to think differently, manage differently and adopt innovative solutions at a faster pace than ever before, in order to serve their residents better. Advanced technology has become an integral part of the tools available to local authorities, and some of them are truly groundbreaking.
On June 23 and 24, the Local Government Center will hold the MuniExpo conference for the ninth time at Expo Tel Aviv, with the participation of mayors, senior ministers, technology companies, infrastructure bodies and public organizations that will present the next generation of technological solutions in the municipal field in a large-scale exhibition. This year’s event will be held under the theme “Winning Partnership,” the cooperation between local government, the government, the business sector and civil society for the strengthening of national resilience and the growth of cities in Israel.
The person seeking to place the exhibition within the broader picture of national resilience, service to residents and cross-sector partnerships is Haim Bibas, chairman of the Local Government Center and mayor of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut. Bibas, chairman of the Local Government Center and mayor of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, emphasizes that the exhibition is the largest of its kind in the Middle East. According to him, “MUNIEXPO 2026 is the place where decision-makers, local leadership and senior figures from business and industry meet to jointly build the national resilience of the State of Israel. Alongside the strategic discussions, we will once again present the largest urban innovation exhibition in the Middle East, with more than 150 exhibitors. There we will reveal breakthrough solutions touching every aspect of the public sphere, from security and cyber to smart infrastructure, energy and advanced digital services. National resilience begins with local government.”
That message runs like a common thread through the fields that will be presented this year at the exhibition, from smart cities and urban data, through emergency and security solutions, to infrastructure, sustainability, education, energy and digital services for residents.
Smart cities, data and artificial intelligence
Smart cities have long since become shorthand for advanced technology involved in managing daily life in many authorities. Commit will present CommX, an operational platform that integrates sensors, operators and artificial intelligence tools and is designed for managing incidents in routine and emergency situations. The system includes new AI capabilities that enable information analysis, data fusion and real-time decision-making.
Systematics will present the ArcGIS platform, which allows authorities to create a live digital twin of the city and connect engineering systems, billing, municipal call centers and city sensors into one situational picture. Alongside it, Mgroup will present a range of solutions for local authorities, including the MAST platform for communication and resident services, smart supervision and sanitation systems, multichannel call centers and systems for managing student transportation, used by many authorities throughout the country.
TV Buildboard will also take part in the exhibition and present a comprehensive digital signage solution, including an advanced content management platform, real-time campaign management, performance tracking and content creation through integration with Canva, alongside a range of digital screens adapted to the public and municipal space.
Another field of interest for many is municipal parking management. Parking Blue will present a model for end-to-end smart parking management, without any initial investment from the local authority, using cloud-based control systems that allow real-time tracking of occupancy, revenues and operational performance.
Emergency, security and community resilience
The war and the security challenges facing Israel will be at the center of a significant part of the exhibition. The National Emergency Management Authority, RAHEL, will present the lessons learned from handling civilians whose homes were damaged by missile fire, and will highlight the cooperation between local authorities, government ministries and emergency agencies during recent operations.
RAHEL head Brig. Gen. (res.) Itzik Bar will lead a special conference session that will bring together, around one table, all the bodies that managed the national operation to treat civilians whose homes were damaged by missile fire. In this session, the significant actions carried out “under fire” will be presented, along with the joint lessons-learned process involving the civilian sphere and local government.
At the same time, the Matzmichim Academy will present its educational and social activity. The nonprofit, which has been active for 22 years, specializes in strengthening children’s and teenagers’ sense of belonging and security and in reducing violence, alienation and bullying. Its work has also received international recognition at the UN Human Rights Council for developing an innovative response to cyberbullying.
The Shelem Foundation will also take part in the conference and present its “Coffee is Equal” initiative, a new program designed to promote the integration of people with disabilities into the labor market and public space. Under the initiative, the foundation will provide grants to local authorities that establish coffee carts in parks and public spaces, where employees with disabilities will be integrated as part of the service team.
At Shelem, which has operated since 1983 in cooperation with the Local Government and the Ministry of Welfare, employment is seen as a central tool for strengthening a sense of belonging, independence and community integration, and through the initiative it seeks to encourage daily, direct encounters between all residents and people with disabilities.
Infrastructure, construction and renewal
Alongside the world of technology, solutions in construction and infrastructure will also be presented. Rulan, one of Israel’s leading companies in prefabricated construction of public and educational buildings, will present advanced construction technologies and solutions for the rapid establishment of kindergartens, daycare centers, sports halls and other public buildings. Recently, the company supplied the Tekuma administration with about 350 housing units for the rehabilitation of residents of the Gaza border communities, while meeting extremely short deadlines.
Meshkal, the Local Government Economic Company, will present the activities of its innovation center and the solutions it promotes for local authorities in the fields of procurement, operations, innovation and urban management. This year the company will operate an experiential booth that will allow visitors to “fly” between smart cities in Israel and around the world and become acquainted with new technologies in the municipal field.
Environment, energy and sustainability
The sustainability and green energy sector will occupy a central place at this year’s exhibition. Apollo Power will present the flexible solar panels it developed, which make it possible to generate electricity even in places where installing solar systems has until now been complicated or impossible.
R.G.A. will present a range of solutions in waste removal, recycling and urban cleaning through its group of companies, Raga LaSviva, Raga Ecologiyot and Electra Infrastructure Environment, which import advanced equipment and technologies adapted to the needs of local authorities. Alongside it, Kleanzo will present the urban cleaning revolution, smart, electric, environmentally friendly, and combining cleaning technologies with data-based management and control systems.
Kleanzo provides solutions for cleaning streets, parks and public spaces using smart electric equipment with zero pollutant emissions, together with monitoring and data management systems that allow authorities to measure output and optimize municipal cleaning work.
Alon Group will present a new truck with a 100 percent electric compactor body, alongside smart garbage compactors, as part of the trend toward more economical, quieter and more environmentally friendly operational solutions. During the exhibition, the electric municipal cargo vehicle of RUNHORSE, imported by UDS International, will be launched in Israel. The vehicle, intended for maintenance, logistics and municipal gardening work, offers a carrying capacity of 700 kilograms, full electric drive and zero pollutant emissions.
Partners in the growth of local government
Alongside the technology companies and business suppliers, major bodies that support local authorities in their day-to-day activity will also participate. Mifal HaPais will present a special exhibition marking 75 years of partnership with local authorities, telling the story of the State of Israel through the projects, communities and initiatives built over the years with its help. Alongside the historical perspective, future projects in culture, community, infrastructure, energy and local resilience will also be presented. Mifal HaPais is committed to continuing to stand alongside local authorities in routine times, emergencies and periods of uncertainty, מתוך the understanding that the local authority is the body on the front line in dealing with residents and communities.
Mercantile Bank, one of the strategic partners of the Local Government Center and the local authorities, will also present its work with local authorities, with an emphasis on financial support during emergencies, financing solutions, credit lines and initiatives designed to help authorities maintain functional continuity even in times of uncertainty and national challenges.
MuniExpo 2026 will enable visitors to meet in one place the companies, organizations and bodies shaping the future of local government in Israel. From artificial intelligence and urban data, through emergency and security, to green energy, education, infrastructure and resident services, the exhibition will present the tools and solutions aimed at making local authorities smarter, more efficient and more resilient in the years ahead.
In that sense, MuniExpo 2026 is not only a meeting point between authorities, companies and public bodies, but also a glimpse of what the local authorities of the coming years may look like, smarter, more connected, better prepared for emergencies, and closer to the changing needs of residents.
