Ramle Mayor Yoel Lavi apologized Thursday for controversial comments he made about Arab residents in an interview with a local paper Ayalon.

"It was a callous remark, out of place and unnecessary," said Lavi in a phone interview with "Haaretz."

According to the mayor, the comments were made during a "friendly phone conversation" with a reporter and were not intended to express a position the Arab community.

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"This isn?t my stand towards the Arab population of Ramle," Lavi explained. "Arab residents receive expanded and proper [government] services in every sense."

Lavi was quoted as calling on Arab residents to move to Arab towns, in response to a request made by a foundation representing Ramle residents to change some of the Hebrew street names, like "Ghetto Fighters," to names the Arab public could relate to. According to the magazine, Lavi opposed the request, and is quoted as saying,

"If they don?t like it they should go live in Jaljuliya, that's an Arab name," Lavi was quoted as saying. "What happened, what? Because some Mohammed wants to change the name? He should change his Allah."

Members of the Knesset responded to Lavi?s comments with calls for his resignation.

MK Nadia Hilo (Labor), chairman of the Knesset mixed cities lobby, said the mayor should support coexistence and not harm it. Hilo intends to try to convene the Knesset House Committee meeting to discuss the issue.

MK Abaas Zachor, himself a resident of a mixed city, Acre, asked Interior Minister Roni Bar-On to dismiss Lavi. Zachor called Lavi?s words "base and dangerous comments."

Hadash Chairman Mohammed Barakeh said: "(Lavi?s) words show the moral abyss he has fallen into."

Labor MK Rabbi Michael Melchior said in response to Lavi?s comments that, "as a Jewish citizen of this country and the chairman of the Knesset Education Committee, I am deeply embarrassed by these racist comments."

The Center for the Fight Against Racism asked Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to open an investigation against Lavi.

Ramle was founded as an Arab town, but with the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 most of the Arab residents were replaced by Jews. The town currently has a mixed population.