Minister of Transportation MK Merav Michaeli spoke at the Sderot Society and Education conference of the Kay Academic College of Education in Be'er Sheva where she addressed the changes she is promoting to the status quo in public transportation during the weekends.
"When the status quo was created, there was no segregation on buses. The reality has changed since Ben-Gurion gave the permit to 400 Torah students and not to millions,” she said.
Michaeli noted: ”On Saturday night we will hold the annual memorial rally for Yitzhak Rabin, who was murdered because of the path he led as Prime Minister and Chairman of the Labor Party.”
She described Rabin’s murder as being caused by “incitement and violence against him and his vision.”
"The incitement continues to this day, the incitement is against the values that the Labor Party has never abandoned, which are a home for the Jewish people with complete social equality, with national and personal security that stems from our military power, so that we continue to fortify alongside reaching out for peace. We will cut off the hand that fights us, but we will strengthen the hand that is extended for peace, to avoid loss and bereavement.”
Michaeli spoke about high housing costs and free public transit:
“We want there to be a welfare policy here, to be able to rent apartments without fear of the rent rising and without parents having to spend thousands of shekels a month on their children, and for public transportation to be free from the age of 67 and for children as well, because this is the basis for freedom of movement in the country. It’s unfair if someone who cannot afford a private car won’t have public transportation during the weekend; it cannot be that someone loves their same sex partners cannot sustain themselves in the State of Israel, therefore I say that our party platform allows you the ability to be loyal citizens in the State of Israel with full rights and equality. The ‘Change Government’ promoted the legalization of cannabis, but there is still a long way to go, regulating it in a way that we can take advantage of its benefits without abusing it."
In response to a question about the changes she is leading in the status quo regarding public transportation during the weekend, Michaeli replied: “I insist that whoever wants to, will be able to commute during the weekends. I heard Netanyahu said he opposes driving on Shabbat. This is the same Netanyahu who travels on Shabbat in a chauffeured car for the past 40 years at the expense of the public while opposing public transportation on Shabbat.”