The city of Tel Aviv responded on Sunday evening to Interior Minister Aryeh Deri's announcement that he is considering merging Tel Aviv with the city of Bat Yam in 2023, rejecting the idea of the merger.
"The position of the Interior Ministry means that the procedure to merge the cities has not yet begun. The Tel Aviv municipality gave its consent to the rapid implementation of the merger so that it will be completed by the end of 2018, and not 2023. This was also recommended by the committee of inquiry that discussed the matter," the municipality said.
"We set the timetable for decision-making on the issue by Passover 2017, and unfortunately, after we reached agreements with the Finance Ministry, the Interior Ministry has taken a position that has no practical significance."