The Haifa City Council approved the appointment of Attorney Fakhar Bayadsi, a member of the Hadash faction led by the Communist Party of Israel, as deputy mayor under a coalition rotation agreement, with 17 councillors voting in favor and nine against.
Hadash representative appointed deputy mayor of Haifa
Mayor Yona Yahav defended the appointment, emphasizing the importance of Arab representation in the city's administration and describing Bayadsi as a symbol of coexistence. The municipality's legal adviser confirmed that the appointment complied with all legal requirements and that there were no legal obstacles to its approval.
The appointment triggered a political crisis within the local Likud branch. Yaniv Ben-Shoshan, the Likud faction leader, resigned after being removed from the municipal coalition and from his positions on municipal committees because of his opposition to Bayadsi's appointment. The dispute exposed deep divisions within the party and significantly weakened Likud's influence in the Haifa municipality.
Hadash welcomed the decision as a major victory for Arab-Jewish cooperation and a setback for what it described as racist and far-right forces. The party argued that Bayadsi's election came despite an intense campaign of incitement against him and pressure from Likud, including alleged threats to reduce government funding for the municipality if the appointment proceeded. Hadash said the outcome demonstrated the resilience of Arab-Jewish political partnership and its growing influence in local government.
Attorney Amir Badran, Hadash's deputy mayor in Tel Aviv-Yafa, also congratulated Bayadsi, describing his election as an important step toward greater equality and Arab participation in decision-making. He said Bayadsi's appointment represented not only a personal achievement but also a broader commitment to shared leadership, and expressed hope for closer cooperation between Haifa and Tel Aviv-Yafa to strengthen Arab representation and advance equal rights for all residents.
(Photo: Zo Haderekh)