Defense Minister's name on Rehovot lion statue sparks public outcry
A sign placed next to a lion statue in Rehovot, made from rocket debris, was removed following backlash over the inclusion of Defense Minister Israel Katz and Mayor Matan Dil's names. Residents, opposition members, and the artist himself criticized the move during the election period.
The Rehovot Municipality has removed a sign placed next to the city market that detailed the story of a lion statue by artist Emilio Mogilner, created from the remains of a rocket that struck the city.
The statue was inaugurated in late June in the presence of Defense Minister Israel Katz, Mayor Matan Dil, and the artist. However, the text on the sign sparked a storm among residents and opposition members on the city council. In June 2025, Rehovot suffered a double strike at the Weizmann Institute and the street adjacent to the city market, leaving behind destruction that remains visible today.
The controversy centered on the final sentence of the sign, which included the names of the Defense Minister and the Mayor. The sign read:
"Artist Emilio Mogilner, creating with one hand, created the lion from the remains of the rocket itself, from the destruction of the houses and from the iron left after the bombing, in a work done in the public space (street art) before the eyes of the city's residents. The verse engraved at the top of the sign, 'The people shall rise as a lioness and lift themselves as a lion', reflects the Israeli spirit and in particular the spirit of the city of Rehovot — a community that was hurt but rose and is being rebuilt from the destruction. From the ruins — the lion rose, and from the breakage and pain a community rose. The unveiling of the work took place in the presence of Defense Minister Israel Katz and Mayor Matan Dil. Tammuz 5786, June 2026".
The inclusion of these names caused anger. The artist himself stated he did not approve of the names being featured. City council member Itale Alshech remarked:
"The fact that the sign was placed in the public space during an election period, while bearing the names of a government minister and the mayor, raises questions regarding how the municipality implements its policy regarding signage during this sensitive period".
"On one hand, a city resident was asked to remove a sign hung on his private property on the grounds of violating the municipal bylaw, and on the other hand, the municipality itself placed an official sign in the public space, including the names of two senior elected officials, during the election campaign", she added.
Opposition leader Yaniv Markovich turned to the Central Elections Committee and demanded answers from the municipality. He received a response from the municipality's legal advisor:
"Subject: Request for removal of inscription on a sign at the Bilu market square. In response to your inquiry on the matter and after checking the circumstances of the case, I hereby clarify that the inscription subject of the inquiry was not made with the knowledge of the mayor or under his instruction, and that he ordered its immediate removal".
This morning, the sign was removed from the public space, leaving the lion standing firm.
