"We will reject out of hand any attempt to talk about splitting Beit Shemesh into two cities. We will not meet with anyone about this issue, and we will not discuss it. This subject must be taken off the agenda."
This was the decision taken at an emergency meeting in the office of MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni that included other member of Knesset from UTJ and Shas, and members of the local council of Beit Shemesh from UTJ and Shas. The meeting was called in reaction to a public announcement by prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu that he wants to explore the possibility of making two separate cities in Beit Shemesh, one chareidi and the other secular.
Before the chareidim took over, Beit Shemesh was controlled by Netanyahu's Likud party.
"The mayor and all his staff serve all residents of Beit Shemesh," said Rabbi Gafni.
