The Union of Local Authorities in Israel (ULAI) is the roof organization of 265 Israeli local authorities representing them towards the national government in their daily issues and problems. ULAI was established in 1938 under the name of “The League of Local Councils”, during the British Mandate, ten years before the establishment of the State of Israel.
The main role of the Union of Local Authorities in Israel (ULAI) is to look after the shared interests of all the local authorities and to represent them in their affairs with the Government and its Ministries, the Knesset (Parliament), the Jewish Agency, Histadrut (General Federation of Trade Unions), other institutions and municipal public organizations.
Furthermore, ULAI advises the Local Authorities regarding the entire range of municipal matters including education, welfare, economy, water, security, status of women, labor relations, law and the courts, etc.
ULAI became in recent years a leading body in the State of Israel through involvement in all areas of civil life, helping the local authorities in their difficult mission to provide high level municipal services to their residents especially in the fields of education and welfare.
The Division of International Relations & Projects of ULAI is maintaining fruitful ongoing contacts with international municipal organizations, being member in United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and in The Congress of Europe as an observer. At the same time, the Division is working together with the Israeli Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Tourism, Interior and others, in order to promote international initiatives in Israel and abroad.
The Division of International Relations & Projects of ULAI, throughout long years of cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Israeli Missions abroad and international organizations, succeeded to engage more than 400 cities from all over the world into signing twinning and friendship agreements with Israeli cities from Metullah in the north to Eilat in the south.
The main tasks of the International Relations Division of ULAI are:
- Enriching ULAI’s knowledge in Municipal Management
- Directing ULAI’s International Relations for Economic, Cultural and Tourist Projects
- Implementing Peace Initiatives
- Strengthening ULAI’s position in Municipal International Organizations
- Serving as Secretariat for International Organizations
- Assisting local authorities in Israel