Israel Railways announced that the Jerusalem Yitzhak Navon train station will be closed to service starting Thursday at 12:30 p.m. and will remain closed until the conclusion of a rally scheduled to take place in the city later that day.
According to the spokesperson’s statement, the decision was made in coordination with Israel Police due to expected overcrowding at the station, which is located in the heart of the affected area. “The decision is intended to ensure public safety,” the statement read. “All train lines and stations, except for Yitzhak Navon, will operate as usual. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
The rally, set to take place at the entrance to Jerusalem, is expected to draw hundreds of thousands from the haredi sector protesting the arrest of draft-evading yeshiva students who oppose IDF service.
The closure has drawn harsh criticism from within the haredi community, with many claiming it discriminates against tens of thousands who planned to arrive in the city by train.
“How is it that during the leftist protests near the Knesset the train operated as usual, but now they choose to specifically block the path for the haredim?” critics asked.
Responding to Israel Railways' announcement, MK Israel Eichler appealed to Transportation Minister Miri Regev and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, urging them “not to cooperate with those targeting the haredi public and seeking to deny the right to protest tomorrow.”
Eichler stated: “Train service must continue as normal for public safety, and not risk masses of passengers overcrowding at stations and on trains in both directions due to suspended service. Let’s not forget that during massive demonstrations near the Knesset, train service continued as usual and no one prevented any of the protesters from arriving and leaving whenever he wanted.”