Eli Lankri has been elected the new mayor of Eilat, following an election to replace Mayor Yitzhak Halevi, who has been inaugurated as a member of the Knesset in the New Hope Party, the Eliat Municipality announced.
Lankri, who has served as acting mayor since Halevi entered the Knesset and has served as deputy mayor for 18 years, won by a majority of around 44%."Tomorrow I will report to the office at 8 a.m and continue to do what I have been doing for 18 years, only this time as mayor," the new mayor said excitedly in front of hundreds of residents and activists.
He just barely edged out a victory over his biggest rival, Gabi Kadosh, who had sevred as mayor from 1993 to 2003 and was endorsed by opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, for whom he was also a former adviser, Ynet reported.
Justice Minister and New Hope Party leader Gideon Sa'ar congratulated Lankri on his victory.
"The residents of Eilat made the right choice for the city and decided to move forward instead of going backwards," Sa'ar said, according to Ynet.