Lod Municipality removed election signs belonging to the Joint List throughout the city yesterday (Monday), ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit. Footage released by the party shows municipal workers taking down the signs, in some cases using cranes and the elevated work platforms the municipality uses for public works. The municipality, meanwhile, maintains that it removes election signs belonging to all parties that were not put up legally (a detailed response appears at the end of the article).
The Joint List initially stated: “Lod Municipality removed our election signs ahead of Netanyahu’s visit while leaving signs belonging to other parties in place. Lod Municipality, in the service of fascism, is working to erase the voices of 30% of its residents.”
In a further statement, the Joint List said: “The Joint List strongly condemns the removal of its election signs throughout the city of Lod ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit, while election signs belonging to other parties were left in place. It is unacceptable for a municipality to cooperate so blatantly with Likud and work to erase the presence of the Joint List, the largest list among the Arab public.
“It is important to emphasize that 30% of Lod’s residents are Arab, and many of them support the Joint List. The municipality is seeking to send them a racist and distorted message: we will erase your voice to appease the ruling party. This constitutes selective enforcement and a serious violation of equality, freedom of expression, and the integrity of the elections. Arab citizens in Lod are not second-class citizens, and they have the right to representation and political activity equal to that of any other citizen. Those who try to erase us from the streets will discover the strength of our voice at the ballot box on October 27. We will continue to fight for equality, Arab-Jewish partnership, and democracy for all.”
Former MK Sami Abu Shehadeh, chairman of Balad, who was disqualified from running for the Knesset, said: “The political persecution of the Joint List in Lod by the religious Zionist nucleus, the municipality, and the police will not only fail to weaken support for us, but will also amplify the Joint List’s voice in the city. The Arab public in Lod, which makes up a third of the city’s residents, is politically aware and strong and will not be deterred by such racist attempts. The Arab public will continue its just struggle to develop Lod as a mixed, multicultural, and equal city.”
Lod Mayor Yair Revivo, the brother of Likud MK Eliyahu Revivo, serves as a Likud representative and is considered a close associate of Netanyahu.
Lod Municipality responded: “Lod Municipality categorically rejects the allegation of selective enforcement. Enforcement actions and the removal of election signs placed illegally in public spaces are carried out equally, objectively, and without any distinction between parties or lists. As evidence, we have photographs showing the removal of signs belonging to right-wing parties (Likud and the Religious Zionist Party) this week. It should be emphasized that in some cases, signs are put back up, sometimes immediately after their removal, and repeatedly.”
“The Lod Municipality will continue to enforce the law equally against all parties and lists, without bias or political considerations. In addition, as is customary in the Lod Municipality, starting on the Friday immediately preceding the election, we allow all parties greater flexibility to hang signs in public spaces as well, so that the city can feel the atmosphere of elections and democracy.”