Haifa city councilor Raja Zaatry was appointed to the security committee of the city council, which deals with sensitive security-related issues, according to a document published Thursday morning in Israel Hayom.
Zaatry was supposed to be appointed deputy mayor on behalf of the Hadash list,, but his appointment sparked a public uproar across the country, leading him to relinquish the position.
Protest against Zaatry’s appoint came after he compared the atrocities of ISIS to the acts of the Zionist movement prior to the establishment of the state, expressed support for Syrian President Assad, and called Hamas and Hezbollah "freedom fighters.
None of this will prevent him from now from accessing sensitive security information in Haifa.
According to a senior official in the Haifa municipality, Zaatry's appointment as a member of the security committee caused astonishment among senior defense officials who work with the municipal security committee.
This is because, within the framework of the committee, discussions are held regarding the city's preparedness for emergency and routine situations, the location of strategic civilian infrastructures within the city, and other security issues.
According to the official, "Membership in the municipal security committee does not require special security classification, but it is a puzzling decision to place a person with views like Zaatry’s on a committee dealing with sensitive security issues that relate, inter alia, to the city's defenses against missile attacks and harmful hostile activity."
Zaatry said in response to the report, “I was not bribed with cigars, champagne and jewelry. I did not speculate in submarines and did not extort news outlets. If someone thinks there is a legal problem with my being on the security committee, he is welcome to turn to the Attorney General. I will continue to serve the Arab and Jewish residents of Haifa who elected us in democratic elections," he said.
The mayor of Haifa, Einat Kalisch Rotem, said she had “no response.”