Opinions: The vote on the appointment of Faher Bidassi (Hadash) as deputy mayor will expose the fault lines in the Haifa City Council

(Haipo) – In preparation for the expected vote in the Haifa City Council, on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, on the appointment of Faher Bayadsi as Deputy Mayor on behalf of the Hadash faction, one of the most explosive issues that has recently arisen in the local and national political arena is coming to the fore – an issue that already goes beyond the borders of Haifa and is also arousing interest in the public and political arena in Israel.

In this article, we will present the positions of various public figures, elected officials, and political figures, Around the question that is stirring the local scene: Is it right to support the appointment of Faher Bayadsi as deputy mayor of Haifa under the current circumstances — and why?

The expected appointment places the members of the City Council face a complex political and public test:

On the one hand, the Hadash faction has been the focus of harsh criticism during the war in Gaza, due to its positions on IDF activity and national issues on the agenda. On the other hand, Bayadsi himself is seen by many as a pleasant, thoughtful, and communicative public figure — someone who works to promote cooperation, coexistence, and the integration of Arab society into the public and civic space in Israel.

A charged gap has been created between the criticism of Hadash and the personal assessment of Bayadsi, which presents the council members with a difficult decision: Should they vote according to the broader political context, or according to the public image of the man nominated for the position?

Bayadsi Fakhr – Hadash: "A city where Arabs and Jews live and work together"

Bayadsi Fakhr: The upcoming vote is much more than a vote for this or that person. It is a vote on the image of Haifa, on the values ​​on which this city was built, and on the question of whether we will continue to be a city of partnership, democracy and equality, or whether we will allow fear, incitement and racism to run the public agenda.

Haifa is a city of true coexistence. A city where Arabs and Jews live and work together as part of the daily routine. This is the strength of the city, and this asset must be protected with all due care.

It is forbidden for extremist or racist elements to cynically exploit the terrible and heinous event of October 7 to incite against Arab society in Israel in general and Haifa in particular. This is an improper exploitation of human pain for political purposes.

In a clear, sharp and unequivocal manner – without asterisks, without rounding corners and without hypocrisy – every murder is abhorrent. Every harm to a human being is unacceptable. Every pain, every bereavement and every loss deserves the same compassion and the same condemnation, certainly and most certainly the events of October 7. Pain has no nationality, bereavement has no religion, and humanity is not measured by national identity.

It is forbidden to turn pain into a test of loyalty directed towards the Arab public. It is forbidden to label an entire public or challenge its legitimacy solely because of its identity. This is not the way of democracy, and this is certainly not the way of Haifa.

There is also a considerable amount of hypocrisy here. For decades, coalitions of all kinds have sat in Haifa with Arab parties, including those currently leading the campaign of incitement. Even in the current term, the agreements were open and clear to all sides, and they were signed in the midst of the war.
Honoring agreements is not a personal favor to anyone. It is a test of public integrity, trustworthiness, and leadership. Public trust is built on a word given and commitments kept, even when it is politically inconvenient.

The Haifa public expects its leaders to show responsibility, honesty, and courage. Not to be drawn into campaigns of incitement, not to legitimize the exclusion of an entire public, and not to harm civic partnership in the city, when the role of the Haifa Municipality is to deal with municipal issues and provide equal service to all residents.

And here it is important to say clearly: Mayor Yona Yahav demonstrates worthy, strong, ethical and determined leadership. Anyone who seeks to manage a complex city like Haifa, blessed with an extraordinary human mosaic, can learn from him public responsibility, consistency and leadership based on integrity, respect and values ​​– a rare commodity in a political reality saturated with polarization and incitement.
We have come to serve the residents of Haifa – Arabs and Jews alike, regardless of religion, race, color, or nationality. We will fiercely defend the city, and we will continue to preserve it as a city of partnership, democracy, and equality.

Ultimately, the upcoming decision is not just about a position or about this or that person. It is a decision about the image of Haifa and the way in which we choose to lead a shared life here of mutual respect, public responsibility, and true partnership.
Haifa was and will remain a beacon of sanity and living together.

Yaniv Ben-Shoshan (Likud): "The connection between the municipality and the government that I have led for the past two years will be severed."

Yaniv Ben-Shoshan: If the nationalist deputy from Hadash is appointed, ministers, MKs, and budgets will not come to Haifa, and the connection between the municipality and the government that I have led for the past two years will be severed.

Unfortunately, the Haifa City Council coalition and its head, Yona Yahav, have been running amok in recent weeks to appoint a deputy mayor from Hadash, a pro-Palestinian nationalist consumed with hatred for Israel.

Ahead of the City Council meeting to be held this coming Tuesday, when the vote on his appointment will take place, I would like to clarify my position regarding the proposal to appoint Faher Bayadsi from Hadash to the position of Deputy Mayor.

I oppose this appointment, and believe that it is dangerous for the city of Haifa and its residents.
I intend to do everything in my power to stop the appointment and cancel it if it is ultimately approved.

As soon as the appointment is approved, I intend to cease serving as the liaison between the Haifa Municipality and government officials, a role I have filled for the past two years on my own initiative and voluntarily to strengthen the city of Haifa after years of no contact and no MKs, ministers, or budgets coming to the city.

My tenure as chairman of the Likud faction in Haifa gave me an open door to government offices, our MKs and ministers in the Likud and in other parties. My presence meant that they would no longer disappear from Haifa, but would strengthen it, respond to the municipality's requests, and transfer projects and budgets to the city for its strengthening and development, which also contributes to the city's residents and those coming to its area.
Only recently did I ensure that the North's Wingate project was brought to the city of Haifa, a project that will put Haifa on the national sports map and bring hundreds of new jobs alongside urban development and strengthening culture and sports.

Unfortunately, the election of a dangerous Palestinian Arab nationalist is something that I cannot accept, nor will the government ministries, MKs, and ministers accept.

In recent weeks, I have appealed to my members of the municipal coalition to change their minds, but it seems that for them, the good of the chair outweighs the good of the city and the residents of Haifa.

I also tried to contact and meet with the mayor to explain the dangerous situation Haifa is in with the appointment decision, but I was met with a closed door and closed ears. The mayor is isolated by his team and those close to him and are not allowing me to meet with him.

I will continue to work for the good of the city of Haifa and its residents, of course, in accordance with the national and Jewish ideological principles in which I believe.
I have every hope that we will succeed in changing the evil decree, that my coalition members will come to their senses, and that the appointment will ultimately not pass.

Tatiana John, Chairwoman of the "Connected to Haifa Our Home" faction: "A senior position like deputy mayor requires public responsibility, statesmanship, and a clear commitment to the security of the city's residents and the State of Israel."

Tatiana John: I intend to participate in the City Council meeting and vote against the appointment of a Hadash representative as Deputy Mayor. Haifa is a city of shared life, human diversity, and coexistence, and we believe in representation and equal service to all residents of the city. Precisely out of this commitment, we believe that a senior position such as Deputy Mayor requires public responsibility, statesmanship, and a clear commitment to the security of the city's residents and the State of Israel.

The conduct and messages of Hadash and its representatives during the war, including giving a platform to voices and positions that damaged the sense of security and trust of many residents in the city, do not allow us to support such an appointment.
Therefore, we will vote against Hadash joining the deputy mayors.

Attorney Reshef Chen: "Fahr is a moderate person who believes in and promotes the shared life of Arabs and Jews in Haifa every day."

Attorney Reshef Chen: Fakhr Bidasi is well known to me from our joint activities as a moderate person who believes in and promotes the shared life of Arabs and Jews in Haifa every day. Among other things, on October 7, he was among the Arab opinion leaders who strongly condemned Hamas' crimes.

Therefore, it is clear to me that those who oppose his election as deputy mayor in accordance with the coalition agreement will thereby testify that they are racists who oppose the Haifa spirit of living together. If there are those who are part of the coalition, then they will testify that in addition to racism, they also suffer from breach of agreements and lack of integrity after benefiting from the coalition agreement to which they are publicly committed.

Michal Alper: "Firm opposition to the institutionalization of public corruption and the current coalition"

Michy Alper: The city of Haifa in the current term under Yahav and his deputies is at an unprecedented low and ranks as the top in every negative index. Just this week, the Central Bureau of Statistics data was published and Haifa is in last place in residents' trust in the municipality.
This reality is a direct result of the lawlessness and lack of management by Yahav and his deputies, a finance committee that operates with poor prioritization and the feeling that the residents' money is being wasted, an engineering director who has collapsed and operates in the absence of a policy and the flight of quality personnel and unacceptable delays in schedules, the issue of air pollution has been neglected within the framework of the deputies' duties, who are busy with themselves, and the resident and the city are no longer part of the agenda.

The lack of activity is also reflected in the dirty streets, broken and neglected parks, and the feeling of a city in retreat.
As is known, the Degel Le Toshish faction is anticipating and working against this situation in the City Council and is proud to be in the opposition while firmly opposing the institutionalization of public corruption and the current coalition.

Attorney Ron Burnett: "The integration of the city's Arab residents and a shared life require the integration of their elected representatives into the leadership."

Attorney Ron Burnett: I fully support the appointment of Faher Bayadsi as deputy mayor. Both because of his qualifications and especially in light of the fact that he is Arab. About 15% of Haifa's residents are Arabs. Many neighborhoods are mixed, there are shared kindergartens and schools, and that is how it should be. The integration of the city's Arab residents and a shared life require the integration of their elected officials in the leadership. The reactions against the expected appointments are racist and inciting. One can only hope that one day we will live in a more tolerant and moral society.

I support the mayor and his deputy, Sophie Nakash, who are courageously standing by their values.

Attorney Lior Detz: "The Likud leader advocated for the inclusion of Arabs in public leadership"

Lior Detz: Unfortunately, Yaniv Ben-Shoshan chose to make a populist political turn at the expense of shared life in the city. It's a shame that Yaniv is not familiar with the writings of Ze'ev Jabotinsky, the Likud leader who advocated for the integration of Arabs into public leadership.
His hypocrisy is blatant. For years he was part of municipal coalitions in which an Arab deputy mayor served, and this did not bother him and he joined the municipal coalition when he knew that an Arab deputy, a Hadash representative, would be appointed. Precisely now, when Fakhr, an Arab representative who is considered moderate, works for coexistence and serves all Haifa residents, was elected, he remembered to oppose.

One could understand, even if one did not agree, if this were a figure who spoke out in an extreme manner against IDF soldiers or against the state. But this is not the case. Fakher is known as a moderate person, who has worked for years on behalf of Arab society and on behalf of all Haifa residents, both Jewish and Arab.
In Haifa, about 25% of the residents are members of the Arab community. This reality requires adequate representation in the city's leadership. The residents of the Arab community have the full right to elect their representatives, just as any other community has the right to elect its leaders.

It is time to stop inciting and dividing the residents of Haifa for the sake of momentary political gain. Our city needs leadership that connects people, not one that incites hatred and generates headlines. Those who have not contributed to the city over the years would do better to engage in action instead of the politics of fear and division. It is clear that all the noise has nothing to do with the election of Fakhr Ella for the upcoming election and the fact that Deputy Mayor Sophie Nakash, Bennett's chief of staff, is courageously leading the election and adhering to the coalition agreements.

Doron Shapir (former personal assistant to Yona Yahav): "This is the time to be united as an Israeli society."

Doron Shapir: The city of Haifa belongs to its residents. As in any civil society, there are differences of opinion and disagreements in our city. Political debate is an integral part of a democratic society, and we are fortunate to live in such a society. It is natural that there are different voices surrounding the vote at the upcoming city council meeting on the appointment of Fakhar Bayadsi as deputy mayor.

It is permissible and even advisable to ask questions:
• Is Fakhar suitable for the role?
• Was he a city council member "for a sufficient period of time" prior to the appointment in question?
• How can he help the city? What is important for him to focus on? What not?

These are relevant and logical questions – and it would be good for the City Council members to consider them seriously before voting.
What is illegitimate, illogical, and immoral is the attempt to link the October 7 massacre to a specific person only.
Because of his religion or language. On October 7, dozens of Arabs were murdered. Some were murdered by direct fire by terrorists, some were murdered as a result of rocket strikes on state territory, some were kidnapped from their homes and workplaces, and some fell while serving in the security and rescue forces.

The October 7 massacre is a severe and painful national trauma. We are less than three years after that black and terrible day, and we are still in the midst of a long and exhausting war in which we have lost many, many good men and women. It is difficult, it breaks the heart, it shakes the soul, and it affects us all.

More than ever, this is the time to be united as an Israeli society – Jews and Arabs, ultra-Orthodox and national religious
and secular, women and men, rich and poor. This is the time to create a real and stable common denominator between us. Haifa society needs this, and Israeli society as a whole needs it no less. It is permissible to argue, but it is forbidden to unravel the ties between us. This is exactly what the enemy wants to do, this is exactly what extremist elements in Israel and around the world are trying to create.

It's not right for this city, it's not right for this country, and it's not right for the Jewish people – a people who have experienced racism and discrimination countless times, and know better than anyone where it leads.

I will end with a personal reference to Fakhr: In December 2024, Haifa celebrated the "Holiday of Holidays." This is a true Haifa holiday, in which the German Colony is illuminated, holiday symbols are placed together, the restaurants and cafes are full, and Haifa manages to attract many visitors. At that point in time, I served as Assistant Mayor of Haifa and insisted that we must remember and commemorate the kidnapped also and especially in the framework of these events.
At that time, there were still more than a hundred hostages, and it was important to me that the city not forget them even during the holiday events.

Fakhr, as chairman of Beit HaGefen, was fully committed to this. He worked with me to ensure that the abductees' display would be placed in the heart of UNESCO Square, beneath the Baha'i Gardens, and he even personally ensured that it would be illuminated, dignified, and prominent. Incidentally, the display remained in place until January of this year, with the return of the last abductee, the late Major General Ran Gueili.

From my personal acquaintance with him, I believe that Fakhr has proven that he knows how to cooperate, to act responsibly, even
In sensitive times, and putting the good of the city above disputes. In my opinion, these are important qualities for a deputy mayor.
I believe in him. I believe in Haifa.

Avi Roth (former Chairman of the Carmel French Committee): "Supports the condition..."

Avi Roth: If Farah Bayadsi recognizes that the State of Israel is a democratic Jewish state, and recognizes the value of the Declaration of Independence. And not only does he not support acts of terror, he simply opposes all violence. And in favor of full participation and integration of Israeli Arabs, while understanding that all segments of the population have rights as well as duties. Supports the appointment of the man as deputy mayor.

Zeev Sonenzon – City Council Member: "My position will be expressed most clearly in the vote itself."

Zeev Sunanzon: This is a sensitive and significant public and political issue, which has broad implications for city management, public trust, and the nature of partnerships in the City Council.

Naturally, and as someone who bears public responsibility, I believe that the right place to respond clearly and fully is during the vote itself in the City Council, after I have completed all consultations, heard all sides, and examined all relevant considerations. I believe that in such matters it is right to make decisions based on responsibility, discretion, and a broad perspective, and not through premature headlines or public pressure.
My position will be expressed most clearly in the vote itself.