PM's Office: Construction not likely to be halted on Shabbat
After Transportation Minister Katz announces cancelation of Yehudit Bridge construction works during weekends, officials from Netanyahu's office come out against the decision; Tel Aviv's residents lament Katz's call, saying 'it's a shame politics won.'
The bridge is meant to connect Yigal Alon Street and the Montefiore neighborhood, alleviating Tel Aviv's mass traffic congestions.
"It is not likely the Ayalon Highway will be closed during weekdays," the officials opined.
Tel Aviv's residents who hoped the construction of the bridge will help them to move across the city faster and more efficiently were disappointed to hear about Katz's decision and lamented that "politics won."
Channel 10 news released internal documents from 2016 and 2017 indicating the construction works on the weekends are necessary.
Katz said the announcement about works to be carried out on Shabbat was "outrageous and needless," and instructed Ayalon Highways Co. to immediately freeze the plans and submit new plans as soon as possible to carry out the works without disrupting traffic on the weekend, including by carrying out the work in the late night hours.
Ayalon Highways Co. said it would "act in accordance with Transportation Ministry instructions and will examine alternatives."
The police, the Transportation Ministry and Welfare and Labor Minister Haim Katz approved the construction works in the weekends.
Katz added, "The way to execute the construction of the bridge appears as problematic and might disproportionately harm the general public during the weekends."
The hours allocated to the works were decided upon in collaboration with the relevant authorities in order to disturb Tel Aviv's routine as less as possible.
Culture and sports minister Miri Regev backed Katz's decision, calling it "worthy and right."
According to Regev, Katz is not caving in to pressure from the Haredim. "I think (the decision reflects) the understanding of the needs of this country's religious citizens. This is A Jewish state that has Ultra-Orthodox residents, their opinions should be also respected."
Welfare and Social Services Minister Haim Katz told Tel Aviv radio station 103 FM that Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz has the right to cancel the construction works on the weekends since the construction of the bridge is a project of the Transportation ministry.
"If Katz can manage to hold the construction works during the weekdays without creating traffic congestions, be my guest," the welfare minister elucidated.
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai criticized Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz's decision not to carry out construction work on a new bridge over the Ayalon Highway during the weekend, saying the works cannot be done at night.
According to Huldai, Ayalon Highways Co. has already examined all possibilities and reached the conclusion that "works of this type would not only stop traffic on Ayalon Highway, but also stop Israel Railways trains, and would in fact lead to transportational catastrophe."
He threatened to petition to the High Court of Justice against the decision.
"Since this is a decision made in a professional manner and approved by the Israel Police, the Transportation Ministry and Welfare and Labor Minister Haim Katz, there's no other conclusion to draw but that Minister (Yisrael) Katz's decision is purely political and its results will cause immense damage to the citizens of the state in general and the residents of Tel Aviv-Jaffa in particular," Huldai charged.
But criticism also came from the coalition. Yisrael Beytenu MK Oded Forer called on the prime minister "to stop this madness."
"Minister Katz has decided to hurt one of the busiest traffic arteries in the State of Israel, just so he could appeal to the ultra-Orthodox section in the Likud Party," Forer accused. "Minister Katz should be reminded that he's the transportation minister of the State of Israel and not of Agudat Yisrael (a faction within UTJ)."
The Meretz party got the required number of signatures by MKs to hold a special hiatus discussion at the Knesset on the matter.
