The Beit Shemesh city council convened today for the first time since the establishment of the new coalition: The coalition established in the city, after a second round of elections and three additional weeks of negotiations, includes only the Haredi factions: Shas, Chen, Kaach, and Agudat Yisrael. The general sector factions, led by candidate Eli Cohen, remained in the opposition, after failing to reach an understanding with Mayor Moshe Aboutbul.
Abutbul said at the opening of the meeting that "not everything can be accomplished in one term. We will continue to work to develop the city, as we presented in the 'second term' plan during the election campaign. We will work to unite the city and unite the ranks." Abutbul added that he will work to complete the construction of the Cultural Center and the municipal sports field.
The candidate who lost to Abutbul in the second round, the chairman of the opposition in the municipality, Eli Cohen, claimed that Abutbul is dividing the character of the city with his own hands: "By forming an ultra-Orthodox coalition only, you pushed half of the city into the opposition, thereby dividing the city and the residents.".
In addition to the council members, the following Haredi Knesset members also participated: Aryeh Deri, Moshe Gafni, Meir Porush, Yaakov Asher, Israel Eichler and Yaakov Litzman. Also participating were Bnei Brak Mayor Hanoch Seibert and his deputy Menachem Shapira, Modi'in Illit Mayor Yaakov Guterman and other public figures.
During the gathering, a group of activists affiliated with the "Zionist Bloc" tried to stir up trouble, interrupting Mayor Aboutbul's speech by chanting: "Black, black" and "We will not give up on Beit Shemesh.".
The opposition chairman in the municipality, Eli Cohen, who heard about the commotion, arrived at the scene and asked the young people to calm down and leave the area.
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