Arad Mayor Yair Maayan responded to Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth's report on the acquisition of the city's mall by Gur Hasidim, following which images of women were removed, mannequins were asked to cover up and the soundtrack became Hasidic. Maayan said that "the municipality views with severity the attempt by the mall's purchasers in Arad to change the mall's character and exclude women from the public space." The municipality sent a warning letter to the mall's management to cancel all initiatives taken, stating that "if the violations do not cease, the municipality will act to close the mall immediately."