The Tel Avivians, who are plagued by traffic jams, have been waiting for this for a long time, and now the time has come: the first light rail system is taking off. But the opening – like so many things currently in Israel – becomes a political issue.
Tel Aviv – In the metropolitan area of the Israeli coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv, the first light rail system has started after more than eight years of construction – and has caused new protests. The first train went into operation early in the morning as planned, several Israeli media reported on Friday. So far, public transport in Israel’s second largest city has only consisted of buses. However, a planned train stop on the Jewish day of rest, the Sabbath, and on public holidays caused outrage among many residents.
Protests against driving times
In the afternoon, dozens of people with Israeli flags gathered at bus stops to demonstrate against the restricted travel times. On signs they called for “freedom of movement also on Saturdays” or an “end of religious coercion”. The day before, the right-wing conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was greeted with boos by the protest movement at the official opening ceremony.
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai completely boycotted the event with Netanyahu because of the planned break in driving. “As someone who supports and encourages Sabbath transportation, I have long said that the light rail must function and serve the public on the Sabbath,” the mayor said. “That’s how it should be in a liberal and democratic country.” Many secular Jews live in Tel Aviv.
The liberal city has had a special schedule with buses on the Sabbath for several years, and in most other cities in Israel, local and long-distance public transport has come to a complete standstill between Friday evening and Saturday evening.
Further expansion of the network planned
Originally, the new cable car should have gone into operation around two years ago, but completion was delayed several times. In addition to the first “red line”, other lines are being built, but these will only be completed in the next few years. The Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB Engineering & Consulting was also involved in the work.
Stop in strictly religious neighborhoods
The new 24-kilometer railway line goes through five communities and includes 34 stations – around a third of which are underground. Several train stops are located in the strictly religious town of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv. For the majority of residents, the use of transportation on the Sabbath, which lasts from Friday evening to Saturday evening, is prohibited under Jewish religious law. This is seen as a main reason for the break in driving. “We will also maintain our status quo as a Jewish state with the light rail system,” said Israel’s Transport Minister Miri Regev, according to the media on Wednesday.
Sabbath observance has repeatedly led to disputes within the country in the past. Government officials recently called for an end to maintenance work in long-distance traffic on the rest day.
Israel currently has the most right-wing government in the country’s history. Several coalition parties represent strictly religious views. The government’s policies, some of which are highly controversial, have divided large sections of Israeli society for months. There are regular mass protests, mainly because of a planned reorganization of the judiciary. dpa
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