Pol wants street named for self

While much of the country has been celebrating the Israel Navy’s exploits, a politician in the southern coastal city of Ashkelon has made an appeal to have the name of the naval forces stricken from the street he lives on, in favor of his own appellation.

Deputy Mayor Shabtai Tsur proposed recently that his city’s government approve a motion to change the name of a local street in Ashkelon dedicated to the Israeli Navy to Shabtai Tsur Street, Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported Monday.

According to the paper, Tsur approached the city street naming committee and asked them to consider renaming the modest side street, currently called Hayl Hayam Street, after himself, a long-time public servant.

Traditionally, streets in Israel are not named for the living, but Ashkelon’s municipal laws permit it. There is another pending request in Ashkelon to have a street name changed to that of a living woman.

Tsur’s request made it onto the desk of his boss, Mayor Itamar Shimoni, and the naming committee gave the green light. The city council is set to vote on, and approve, the motion on Wednesday.

The navy name would be relegated to a town square.

Israel’s navy has been in the headlines the last several days after a team of its commandos intercepted a ship carrying Iranian arms apparently intended to supply terrorists in Gaza. Israel says the missiles would have put most of Israel in the crosshairs, including Ashkelon, which sits several kilometers from Gaza.

“I’m happy about the decision, I am very excited,” Tsur told the paper.