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Feirberg-Ikar’s uninterrupted tenure placed her alongside Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai as the longest-serving municipal leader in Israel at the time of her death.
By Shula Rosen
Netanya announced the death of Mayor Miriam Feirberg-Ikar on Friday, marking the end of a tenure that shaped the coastal city for more than a quarter of a century.
The longtime leader, who had battled a serious illness in recent years, was 74. The municipality described the news as a profound loss, calling her the city’s “Iron Lady” and saying she had become the public face of Netanya through decades of service.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who worked with Feirberg-Ikar throughout her career in Likud, said she “dedicated her life to public service, advancing society and bold, future-oriented urban development.”
He recalled that every discussion with her focused on ways to move the city forward, noting that she “lived, breathed and dreamed Netanya,” a commitment he said was visible in its transformation during her leadership.
President Isaac Herzog wrote that she was a “larger-than-life” figure whose leadership was marked by “a heart of gold and social sensitivity.” Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said she reshaped the city and expanded its cultural and athletic life.
Feirberg-Ikar’s political career followed decades of work inside the municipality. Born in Acre and raised in Netanya, she trained as a social worker and entered city service in the 1970s.
She won the mayoralty in 1998 on the Likud slate and went on to secure five additional terms, including her most recent victory in 2024. Her uninterrupted tenure placed her alongside Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai as the longest-serving municipal leader in Israel at the time of her death.
During her years in office, Netanya drew major commercial investment and large-scale development. International companies such as Cisco, Ikea, and Cellcom established operations in the city, and significant residential and commercial projects reshaped its skyline.
A new soccer stadium completed last year was named Miriam Stadium in her honor.
Her career was not without controversy. She faced two high-profile investigations—one early in her tenure involving alleged wiretapping of political rivals, and another in the previous decade relating to real-estate approvals.
In both cases, prosecutors determined there was not enough evidence to pursue charges.
Netanya, home to more than 220,000 residents and ranked as Israel’s seventh-largest city, also continued to grapple with longstanding crime challenges. Local data showed the central-north neighborhood among the highest in break-ins and overall crime last year, reflecting issues that persisted despite the city’s broader economic expansion.
Feirberg-Ikar leaves behind two children and a city whose modern identity was shaped in large part by her long stewardship.
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