Mayor suspected of pocketing millions in donations named as Ashkelon’s Tomer Glam

Ashkelon Mayor Tomer Glam is named as the mayor who is suspected of pocketing wartime donations for himself and his associates, Hebrew media outlets report.

Ashkelon, located on the coast close to the northern Gaza Strip, is one of the largest cities in Israel’s south.

Police announced on Monday that Glam was detained alongside local officials and businessmen suspected of involvement in the alleged corruption. He was later released to house arrest.

According to police, millions of shekels donated to the municipality for the good of residents amid the two-year war against Hamas in Gaza, and the war last year with Iran, were transferred to a community fund and from there, “found their way into the private pockets of the mayor and his associates.”

According to the Ynet outlet, Glam was detained at a hotel in Eilat, where he was speaking at a conference of local treasurers. He reportedly said in a speech at the conference, “My mother always told me, ‘When the money is yours, do what you want with it. With public funds, act with great responsibility.”

Glam has served as mayor of Ashkelon since 2017.