Former Knesset Speaker MK (Likud) Reuven Rivlin released statements on Wednesday 29 Teves 5774 blaming Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat for the city’s failure in the blizzard.

Rivlin insists the city would not have been capable of handling a less severe storm, rejecting all the statements that no one could have predicted the magnitude of the blizzard. He says City Hall wouldn’t have fared well with a storm of a lesser magnitude.

Taking part in a session of the Knesset Finance Committee the former speaker explained the city was a disaster and emergency plans were not implemented. He spoke of the closure of major vehicular arteries and the residents who were stuck in their homes while all services came to a halt.

Rivlin says city leaders must take a long hard look at the state of preparedness. “Instead of scattering brachos after the storm they should have scattered salt in real time” he explained.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)