Jerusalem street likely to be named after right-wing extremist

The Jerusalem municipality is expected to allow a street to be named after right-wing radio presenter Adir Zik, whose extreme remarks attacking former prime ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Ariel Sharon caused outrage.

The street naming committee will discuss a further suggestion from the advisory committee, to name streets in Jerusalem after Zevulun Hammer, former Education Minister and leader of the National Religious Party, as well as eleven rabbis. The suggestion by City Council member Sar Netanel to name a street after actor and producer Yossi Bannai will apparently not be up for debate.

Zik was the host of popular Channel 7 radio program, Zikukim shel Adir (Adir's Fireworks) for 15 years. He died several years ago after a prolonged illness.

The Jerusalem municipality issued a response, saying "the street naming committee has not discussed the issue nor has it reached a decision. Zik's harsh remarks will be taken into consideration once the proposal reaches the committee".

Adir Zik was made famous following his succession of inciting remarks against former Prime Minister Yizhak Rabin. Even after Rabin's assassination, Zik continued his tongue lashing, saying such statements as: "Rabin and [Shimon] Peres are both traitors who were bribed" and "Peres should be torn apart".

During an interview with him in the Ultra-Orthodox radio station "Kol-Chai" Zik said "there were only two people in the previous century who transferred Jews. The first one was a German dictator whose name I don't want to mention, and the second was Menachem Begin along with Ariel Sharon".

Netanel, a member of the street naming committee said he had been shocked to find out that Zik's name had been suggested. "This is an outrage" he said.

"This is a man who explicitly and severely attacked the late Prime Minister Yizhak Rabin and many other officials. He called Rabin and Peres traitors, exclaimed that Peres should be torn apart, and compared Prime Ministers Ariel Sharon and Menachem Begin to Nazis. Naming a street after him in Israel's capital is a slap in the face of democracy and a reward to violence and incitement. I intend to make every effort, including taking legal measures, in order to prevent this disgrace," Netanel concluded.