Yosi Havilio

Yosef (Yosi) Havilio (Hebrew: יוסי חביליו) is an Israeli lawyer and politician who currently serves as a Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem.

Havilio served as the Attorney General of Jerusalem, is a community activist, and is a recipient of the Knight of Quality Award given by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel.

Havilio was a mayoral candidate in the 2024 Jerusalem election, running as the main opposition to incumbent mayor Moshe Lion.

Havilio was born in 1959 in Jerusalem, Israel, and grew up in the Rassco neighborhood, where he attended the Jerusalem Rehavia Gymnasium.

He played competitive sports with the Hapoel Jerusalem Youth Basketball team and as a track runner.

Havilio won the gold medal in the 400m hurdles at the Israel Athletics Championships in 1976.

In 1977, he was drafted to the Israeli Defense Forces, and served as an Aerial Explorer in the Intelligence Corps.

After his military service, Havilio attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and a Master of Arts degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, and Law, graduating with honors.

Havilio is married to Liora Havilio, who serves as the Tel Aviv District Attorney.

Together, they have three children and live in the Ramat Sharet neighborhood in Jerusalem.

After university, Havilio worked as an intern for Yitzhak Zamir at the Office of the Attorney General.

Soon after, in 1985, Havilio opened a private law firm that focused on civil and commercial law.

In 2001, Havilio was appointed Attorney General of Jerusalem.

In this position, Havilio gave legal counsel to the Municipality, and worked as the lead public prosecutor.

During his tenure, Havilio confronted mayors Uri Lupolianski and Nir Barkat on many principal issues.

Havilio gave legal opinions that supported the Pride Parade in Jerusalem and to the Jerusalem Open House, in major contrast to the mayor's position.

In 2010, Havilio left his position at the Jerusalem Municipality, for reasons related to his relationship with Mayor Nir Barkat.

In 2010, Havilio won the Knight of the Quality of Government Award for his struggle for just governance.

Judge Mishael Cheshin awarded Havilio saying: "Havilio's willingness to fight against powerful politicians, and endangering his job in order to prevent harm to our foundational institutions, should serve as the example for all public servants."

In 2012, Havilio opened a private law firm that focused on public law, and offering legal advice to local councils and public committees.

Havilio offered his services pro bono as a legal advisor to various organizations, and to represent public petitioners in the Supreme Court.

In one of his cases, Havilio petitioned the Supreme Court to allow the Cinema City complex in Jerusalem to stay open on Shabbat and Jewish holidays.

He also petitioned the court to prevent the liquidation of the public housing company Prazot.

From this petition, it was determined that the 130 million New Israeli Shekels that were in the Prazot fund would be used to purchase apartments for those entitled to public housing in Jerusalem.

Havilio also petitioned the court to allow the opening of the Hamifletzet Pub, a community pub in Kiryat HaYovel that was closed by the municipality because it operated on Shabbat.

After his petition, the pub was allowed to re-open, and continues to operate today.

In 2014, Havilio founded Tzahor, an organization that promotes equality, social and legal justice, human rights, and proper governance in Jerusalem.

The organization conducted several high-profile campaigns against the Jerusalem Municipality about how government money was being used for personal political advancements, and against the under-representation of women and Arabs in government positions.

There were only five women on the city council of 32 in 2023.

Havilio and Tzahor represented grocers in the non-Orthodox city center who wanted to open on Shabbat, and filed a lawsuit against the closing of the Har Homa swimming pool on Shabbat.

In 2017, Havilio announced that he was running for mayor of Jerusalem, and launched the campaign slogan: "Havilio. Saving Jerusalem".

In September 2018, he dropped out of the mayoral race, and endorsed Ofer Berkovitch.

Havilio was elected to the City Council in the 2018 election, as his party won 4% of the vote and one seat on the City Council.

After the election, Havilio joined Mayor Moshe Leon's coalition, and was selected to be a Deputy Mayor for half a term.

Since beginning his term in July, Havilio has focused on local environmental causes, increasing women's representation, simulating community co-ops, and addressing the needs of the Arab population.

In addition, Havilio's main focus is to represent the voice of the secular, liberal, and Traditional community in the very Orthodox and Haredi dominated Municipality.

In 2023, Havilio announced his intention to run for mayor of Jerusalem.

The election, originally scheduled for the end of October 2023, was delayed to January 2024, then February 27, 2024, due to the breakout of the Israel–Hamas war.

Yosi Havilio heads the Jerusalem Union (Ha'ihud Ha'yerushalmi) list, composed of five parties: Havilio's party Saving Jerusalem, Meretz (Dr. Laura Wharton), Labor (Eran Ben Yehuda), Yesh Atid (Yeela Bitton De-Lange), and New Deal, a party formed by organizations active in the 2023 Israeli judicial reform protests.