Yavne Municipality CEO Calls Council Member 'Hamas' During Heated Meeting Dispute
A rare confrontation unfolded during a recent Yavne City Council meeting when Lavi Itach, the municipality's CEO, reportedly called council member Lior Cohen "Hamas" amid a heated exchange. Cohen told C14 that the insult came after he condemned violence "from all sides" following an earlier incident involving Itach and a protesting parent.
The prior event, which occurred at a previous council session, involved a physical altercation between Itach and a parent who had come to protest. Cohen claimed both parties engaged in violence, with Itach pushing the parent and the parent responding aggressively. Cohen criticized the council for condemning only the parent's behavior while ignoring Itach's role. He also noted that video footage of the incident exists but was not fully released from the angle showing the clash.
During the latest meeting, the issue of the absence of cameras was raised, and the mayor referenced the earlier incident, urging Cohen to denounce the violence against Itach. Cohen stated he condemned violence from all sides, prompting Itach to retort, "That's how Hamas spoke." Cohen, visibly upset, asked if he was being compared to Hamas, to which Itach replied, "Yes, yes, because you are Hamas." Cohen threatened legal action for defamation and reminded Itach of his military service and family background, emphasizing the inappropriateness of the comparison.
The initial altercation last month began when a resident protested the lack of a first-grade class opening at a local school. Itach attempted to remove the protester, leading to a physical confrontation where the protester reportedly headbutted Itach. The mayor condemned the incident as crossing a red line, while council member Lior Dadush called for understanding due to the protester's post-traumatic condition and noted that the conflict escalated after Itach pushed the protester.
This episode highlights ongoing tensions within Yavne's municipal leadership and raises questions about conduct and accountability during council proceedings.
