Eshkol Regional Council head Gadi Yarkoni and Shaar Hanegev Regional Council head Ophir Liebstein chose not to participate in a meeting held by Prime Minister Netanyahu in the Gaza Division.
"We were surprised to discover that 20 heads of local councils from the south were invited to the meeting with the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister had no intention of holding a special meeting on the Gaza area as expected and requested at this time and at our request," said the council heads.
"We respect our friends, the heads of the local authorities in the south, who are also dealing with difficult situations, but we believe beyond any doubt that the challenges, needs, and realities in the Gaza vicinity are completely different from the rest of the local authorities. We decided not to participate in the meeting and we call on the Prime Minister to hold a direct dialogue with the heads of the local councils in the Gaza area."