Yoel Lavi, the former mayor of Ramla in central Israel, is returning to the municipal front after six years and will run for mayor once again.
During an interview for Israel Hayom's My City podcast, Lavi attacked the city's Garin Torani (literally 'Torah Nucleus'), which is a community of religious Zionist young families that aims to connect the religious to non-religious by moving to run down city neighborhoods and volunteering with children and youth, creating programs for enrichment . "They feel like they're on some sort of special mission. They call themselves 'Amishav' (my nation returns). I, who was born here, haven't returned anywhere. I grew up here. I don't understand that concept - 'Amishav.' They bring behavioral norms with them from Judea and Samaria".
"It isn't easy in a mixed city. Your neighbor, the Arab, has equal rights with you. Stop with the violence you bring from Judea and Samaria," Lavi accused, although there has been no violence perpetrated by the Garin Torani families..
He expressed strong opposition to building a planned additional haredi neighborhood in the city. "It's next to the (Arab) Jawarish neighborhood. And you say to yourself, 'You don't understand that you have to prevent friction?' If I'm elected, I won't keep this plan. There are more appropriate places to build for haredim."