During the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York on Monday, Haim Bibas, Mayor of Modiin-Maccabim-Reut and Chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel (FLAI), presented a passionate and resolute speech emphasizing the importance of Israel’s municipalities following the October 7 attacks.
“For the first time since Israel became a state, we felt our existence was at risk,” Bibas said. “These past 19 months have been the hardest in our 77-year history.” Speaking on behalf of Israel’s 10 million citizens, Bibas emphasized the resilience and leadership demonstrated by local governments during what he characterized as a moment of national paralysis.
“When the attacks happened and our government struggled to act quickly, we were on the ground in every Israeli town and city,” he said. “Cities took emergency measures—both in terms of preparation and in dealing with the current challenges.”
He credited the creation of local “emergency first response teams” - civilian security units armed and trained to respond quickly - as a critical initiative. “Our first priority was to get funding for these teams. For this, we needed equipment and training. Many of you in this room donated vital equipment so that we could defend ourselves. Thank you.”
Bibas also pointed to the erosion of public trust in the national government. “After Oct. 7, the people lost trust in government, but they trusted their local municipalities and mayors. They trusted us because we provided their needs.”
Bibas made a strong comparison between the difficulties in Israel and the increasing antisemitism overseas: “As we fight in Gaza and Lebanon, you are fighting here, against rising hatred of Jews, against unfair media, against hatred on college campuses.”
Concluding with a call for unity, Bibas declared, “This war has made clear what we have always known, the future of Israel and the future of the Jewish people are bound together. We will survive this together.”
This article was written in cooperation with Federation of Local Authorities in Israel