Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli said Monday she will act to take advantage of the political diversity in the current coalition government to reach an agreement that would allow operations of public transport on Shabbat.
In an interview with during the Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth Transportation Conference, Michaeli said the government "understands the days of siege in the State of Israel on weekends are ending".
"I have no doubt that we will reach agreements that would allow every Israeli to have real freedom of movement on any day of the week."
The minister also bemoaned the deteriorating traffic jam situation in the country, saying she has been working to resolve the issue before it's took late. "Israel's traffic jam issue is an emergency situation, and if drastic steps won't be made soon, it will only get worse," she said.
"The Transportation Ministry needs to make a transition from the traditional way it used to make decisions to a more modern, updated way, and to realize that things need to change quickly," Michaeli added.
The minister also addressed the railway's electrification project, which has been causing mass delays and cancellation of trains throughout the country for the past two years.
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Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli at Ynet's conference being interviewed
(Photo: Avigail Uzi)
"The electrification process can be done faster, but it would mean shutting down train for a long amount of time. I also asked to put alternative transportation services wherever the train stops its operation in a certain area, and when that happens, we will also post the dates in advance."
When asked whether a light rail currently being constructed in central Israel would operate on Shabbat, Michaeli said although the line is expected to become operational only in November 2022, she is working on a plan for the service to operate on Shabbat.