According to Meir Yitzhak Halevi, the mayor of Eilat, politicians have seriously erred in their treatment of his city. Speaking to the Maariv newspaper, he said, "The politicians behaved terribly in delaying the outline for the reopening of hotels in Eilat. I am very concerned about what's going to happen here, and I've never in my life seen anything like what happened in the Knesset this week. If the outline for the opening of 'green islands' isn't authorized the next time it comes up for debate, then I give up on the politicians."
When asked to name those he thought responsible for the failed attempt to pass the legislation, he "refused," saying, "I decided that I won't get into political commentary and I don't want to attack the haredi sector. At the end of the day, what concerns me is the welfare of the residents of Eilat."