The chairman of the Knesset's Interior Committee, MK Yitzhak Kreuzer of Otzma Yehudit, held an urgent discussion this morning (Wednesday) about the serious failures in the sewage infrastructure and the rat plague in the city of Bnei Brak.
MK Kreuzer opened the discussion with a strong protest over the absence of the mayor, Hanoch Seibert, accusing him of disrespecting the residents and the Knesset. Kreuzer noted that the mayor informed the committee that he was "abroad," but according to evidence he received, he was in Israel and busy organizing demonstrations against the draft - and did not even bother to send a representative on his behalf to the discussion.
""This is disrespectful and disrespectful to the residents of Bnei Brak, the Knesset and the committee," said Kreuzer. "I wish the mayor, instead of organizing protests, would dedicate even 10% of his time to the well-being of the residents. The ultra-Orthodox residents of Bnei Brak are not second-class citizens.".
Kreuzer added: "The Bnei Brak municipality is failing in its duty" - and emphasized that the committee's door is open to the city's residents.
He revealed that "a lot of pressure" was exerted on him to cancel the hearing, and clarified that, contrary to the municipality's claims, this is not an "isolated incident", but a widespread and serious phenomenon that must stop.
Amnon Saltman, a representative of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, presented a particularly difficult picture regarding the rampant rat plague in the city. He revealed that the ministry issued an order to the municipality back in 2022 due to the problem, but "the order was not respected by the Bnei Brak municipality, and they are disrespecting the ministry." According to him, "The situation in the city is not good, the rats have become immune to pest control due to the municipality's massive and uncontrolled pest control.".
Saltman added that no pest control was carried out in private areas, and warned that the pest in Bnei Brak is also harming the fish in the nearby Yarkon River.
A video of sewage being screened at the committee
Health Ministry representative David Weinberg said at the hearing: "The unusual findings that came up during the hearing make us urgently need to contact the municipality again and conduct renewed health inspections of the city's sewers.".
City Council member Yaakov Wider, who initiated the discussion, said: "We are witnessing a widespread phenomenon of neglect on the part of the municipality. They have budgets, but they prefer not to invest in the well-being of the residents. It is time for the Bnei Brak municipality, instead of dealing with combos and jobs, to focus on the health of the residents and give them the minimum they deserve.".
Zvika Ivinder, a representative of the Ministry of the Interior, noted in the discussion that the ministry has held meetings with the mayor for the purpose of restoring the infrastructure, and added: "There is a loan of 200 million shekels that is due to be signed soon for the purpose of restoring the city's sewage infrastructure.".
At the end of the discussion, MK Kreuzer concluded that the committee will continue to closely monitor the treatment of infrastructure and health deficiencies in the city, and made it clear that he would not accept the claims that this was an isolated incident.
He emphasized that he will serve as a voice for city residents who suffer from ongoing neglect by the municipality, and called on residents to contact him directly with any problem: "I undertake to handle any request that comes in and help as much as I can.".
Join the Haredim 10 Facebook page >>
Join the X page of Haredim 10 >>
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
