Netanya mayor Avi Salma on the Red Line: «I am still not convinced it brings great benefit to the city»
On Radio 90 the mayor said he will not approve steps that harm Ramat Poleg and Ir Yamim residents, and that he ordered concrete barriers removed.
Netanya mayor Avi Salma has set out his position on the dispute over the Red Line, the public transport route planned to run through Ramat Poleg and Ir Yamim. Interviewed on the Radio 90 programme «HaParlament», he said he is not yet convinced the project benefits the city, the 90FM news desk reported on 13 November 2026.
Who was speaking, and why
The interview was conducted by lawyers Eli Orgad and Yossi Laor Machlouf. The background is the conflict we have been covering: residents of Ramat Poleg and Ir Yamim strongly oppose a bus-priority lane running through their neighbourhood.
What the mayor said about the Red Line
Everything below is Salma’s own position as stated on air.
He said Netanya has a deep transport problem that built up over years of rapid construction without matching infrastructure. He is examining the project carefully but has «not yet been persuaded by all the professional bodies» that this is the most urgent and correct step to take now.
The Red Line, he stressed, is worth nothing without additional network bus lines. He intends to continue the professional dialogue, understand residents’ needs and weigh whether the price Ir Yamim and Poleg would pay is justified. He said he is not yet convinced the line brings great benefit to Netanya — «and certainly not» to those two neighbourhoods — and that he will not approve steps that harm residents unless it is shown that they serve the city.
The concrete barriers and the question of authority
The mayor also addressed concrete barriers that appeared in the works area. According to him, they were placed without his approval and he ordered them removed immediately. The report does not say who placed them or exactly where.
Salma said Netanya is the municipality’s responsibility and no one else’s. If anyone intends to act without the municipality’s approval, he said, he will use every legal means, including going to court, to prevent harm to residents.
What happens next
The mayor spoke of two meetings: one with Netivei Ayalon, the state company carrying out the project, and one with the building committees, at which all the residents’ claims are to be heard. Only then, he said, will a «professional and transparent» decision be made. He gave no dates.
The report carries no response from Netivei Ayalon, the Transport Ministry or residents’ representatives. On Wednesday, 11 November, residents met project representatives on Zoom and came away frustrated that many of their questions went unanswered.
On Miriam Feirberg-Ikar
The interview took place on the anniversary of the death of Miriam Feirberg-Ikar, Salma’s predecessor as mayor. He said he takes three values from her: unity, love of the country and love of its soldiers. Despite a bitter political rivalry, he said, her contribution to the city was enormous, the city owes her a great debt and her legacy can be seen all over Netanya.
He also told a personal story. That day his father came to the cemetery to pay his respects to her. When Salma asked why, his father replied that Feirberg, already very ill, had attended the funeral of Salma’s mother. The mayor called it a real personal example of how a leader, and a person, should behave.
Source: 90FM, 13.11.2026
Photo: Netanya Municipality spokesperson’s office (archive), published by 90FM
