Jerusalem's Deputy Mayor Shmuel Shkedi has proposed naming a street in memory of the late popular Arutz-7 broadcaster Adir Zik. Street-naming committee member Saar Netanel (Meretz) called the proposal "shocking and scandalous" and charged that Zik was guilty of incitement against Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin.
Shkedi, a member of the National Religious Party (NRP), proposed Zik's name as one of the 30 to be considered by the street-naming committee. Other names include former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, the late Education Minister and National Religious Party head Zevulun Hammer, and those of 11 leading rabbis.
The proposals are to be debated shortly after the Sukkot holiday.
Netanel said he will fight against the proposal - though he added that he does not expect to win, given the balance of power in the city council. "Naming of a street after Zik is a slap in the face to democracy, and rewards violence and incitement," he charged. Natenel declared that Adir Zik was guilty of "open and grave incitement" against Rabin.
David Hadari, head of the NRP's city council faction, explained on Voice of Israel Radio that Zik was instrumental in building the Givat HaMivtar neighborhood of Jerusalem and was famous for his many acts of charity and kindness. "If we were to check through every statement ever uttered by the 700 or 800 people who have Jerusalem streets named after them," Hadari said, "I am sure we will find some that many people would not agree with."
Zik died three years ago at the age of 66. His Zikukim Shel Adir (Adir's Fireworks) program was extremely popular on Arutz-7 radio before the government shut down the station, but he continued broadcasting over the internet. He was a constant campaigner against the Oslo Accords and strongly backed the Judea and
He often referred to the former Rabin-Peres administration as the "Bolshevik government," and called Rabin and Peres "traitors." He led a campaign charging that Rabin was killed as part of a left-wing conspiracy, and thus aroused intense anger among
Speaking against the expulsion of Jews from their homes, Zik spoke against Menachem Begin as well. He once stated, "There were only two people in the previous century who transferred Jews. The first one was a German dictator whose name I don't want to mention, and the second was Menachem Begin along with Ariel Sharon."
Begin was responsible for the expulsion of Jews from Yamit in the Sinai Peninsula as part of a peace agreement with