After hearing of the city’s decision to remove the Bayit Vegan park during the night, under the veil of darkness, Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Yitzchak Pindrus has submitted his resignation as being in charge of the City Improvement portfolio.

As reported earlier by YWN-ISRAEL, during the night of 14 Shevat, Monday night to Tuesday, the city removed the park from Abuav Street in Bayit Vegan. The move came as a surprise as minhelet officials explain they were in the process of working with City Hall to find an alternative venue for the park to permit the construction of a talmid torah where the park was located.

Pindrus was furious the move was done behind his back, as being responsible for the park, which he has been working tenaciously to save.

In his resignation letter to Mayor Nir Barkat, Pindrus wrote, “I was astonished this morning to hear from residents of the Bayit Vegan neighborhood that the Jerusalem municipality workers dismantled the playground garden in the middle of the night. As we know, in recent months, my office has been in continuous contact with neighborhood representatives and the community administration in Bayit Vegan. It is agreed to transfer the park that has been in the area for many years to an alternative area.”

In his letter he continues, explaining he had arranged a meeting for this Thursday and since everything to date was done with the knowledge of neighborhood leaders, there was no justification for this unilateral move in the middle of the night.

He concludes, “I do not have to take responsibility for things done unilaterally, behind my back as the person in charge of this portfolio. I request that I am relieved of my duties as being in charge of the City Improvement portfolio.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)