The Israel Electric Corporation was sharply criticized on Wednesday over its decision to cut off power on New Year’s Eve to repair infrastructure in Arad, Netanya, Karmiel and other cities.
MK Alex Kushnir (Yisrael Beytenu) said the IEC had shown a “lack of sensitivity and consideration” toward Israelis who immigrated from Russia, many of whom celebrate the holiday of Novy God.
Kushnir told the IEC to check why the decision was made and appealed to its directors to change it.
All those cities have large communities of Israelis from the former Soviet Union. In Arad, a tree that looked like a Christmas tree which was placed at the city’s center in an attempt to honor Novy God was set alight by unknown culprits on Wednesday.
Wadi Abu Nassar, spokesman of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, criticized the torching and expressed hope that “political leaders will speak against this act” and that the police will bring the arsonists to justice, Walla reported.