Slippery Slope

The “Afikim” bus company has inaugurated two new bus lines, intended for Palestinian commuters only, in order to reduce the presence of Palestinians on buses which are used by Jews. (Ynetnews)

(Hebrew – Ynet)

The Ministry of Transportation considering adding bus lines geared toward Palestinian laborers traveling from Central Israel to checkpoints in the West Bank, following complaints by settlers about their use of public transportation. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Walla!)

The Ministry of Transportation ordered the Hebrew University’s Student Union to halt operation of Friday evening shuttles from dorms to the center of Jerusalem. (JPost)

(Hebrew - Mynet)

The Transportation Ministry has ordered the student union at the Hebrew University to discontinue the shuttle service from the dormitories to the city center on Friday evenings.

Tel Aviv Municipal Council Member, Binymain Babaioff (Shas), asked in a letter to the Mayor, Ron Huldai, and to Moshe Tiomkin, Head of the Municipal Transportation Unit, for special buses to be allocated for immigrant workers and asylum seekers, or alternatively to limit their access to public transportation at rush hour. According to the letter, “since these workers sleep in parks and stairways and do not shower on a daily basis, they have a terrible smell and may spread diseases.”

(Hebrew)

An inspection by the Israel Religious Action Center shows that there is still an enforced segregation of women on many “Mehadrin” bus lines, in violation of a High Court of Justice ruling.  In some cases the drivers themselves try to enforce the segregation.

(Hebrew)

A Jerusalem taxi company advertises that it employs only Jewish drivers.

(Hebrew)

An initiative for operating a municipal bus line on Friday nights, to drive young revels to the clubs, pubs, and dance halls in town and back, has been frozen at the Tel Aviv Municipality for about a year. Mayor Ron Huldai objects to the initiative, under pressure from the haredi (ultra-orthodox) factions. A 2009 report by the Tel Aviv Municipality shows that more accidents involving people in the 17-24 age group occurred on Fridays and Saturdays than on the other days of the week. Public transportation does not operated from sunset Friday to slightly after sunset Saturday, due to the requirements of the orthodox Jew minority. (Hebrew)