Israel’s Ministry of Transport decided last night (Wednesday) to halt work on the Jerusalem light rail lines in the Geula and Bar-Ilan Street corridors and redirect the budget to other locations, following exceptional security costs caused by violent protests against the project. The report was published today in Israel Hayom.
To date, the state has spent more than 326 million shekels on securing the construction work and repairing vandalism damage in those areas. The protests, which take place almost every time work is carried out in the area, include road blockages, clashes with security forces, and damage to equipment and infrastructure.
The opposition comes mainly from extremist groups in the Mea Shearim neighborhood and the Old Yishuv community.
The Ministry of Transport and the Public Transportation Authority said they view the deliberate damage with great seriousness, and that ongoing discussions are being held regarding project priorities and budget management.