Israel Launches 'Palestinian-Only' Bus Lines

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Israel’s Transportation Ministry is under fire for creating what appear to be racially segregated bus lines in the West Bank. According to the ministry, these newly-created lines will transport Palestinian workers to central Israel and are intended to mitigate passenger traffic for Jews on the existing lines. The Palestinian-only routes will officially be considered “general bus lines,” and the ministry contends that Palestinians will still be legally allowed to ride the regular lines on which Jews travel.
However, several bus drivers told Israel’s Ynet that Palestinians who choose to ride on the normative, “mixed” lines would now be asked to leave them and opt for the Palestinian-only lines, which have only been advertised in Palestinian villages via signs in Arabic.
While the Transportation Ministry is claiming that the new bus lines have been created merely to relieve congestion and provide Palestinians with more affordable commuting options, the move is clearly an attempt to further segregate Jews and Arabs in the West Bank, with a ministry source admitting that the move came in part due to complaints from Jewish passengers about Palestinians posing security risks.

According to Ynet (with emphasis mine):

The ministry reportedly considered several alternatives before deciding to opt for designated lines – knowing that the issue of so-called “Palestinian lines” would be highly controversial.
Legally, however, there is no way to stop Palestinians from boarding “regular” lines: “We are not allowed to refuse service and we will not order anyone to get off the bus, but from what we were told, starting next week, there will be checks at the checkpoint, and Palestinians will be asked to board their own buses,” a driver with Afikim – the company that holds the routes franchise for the area – told Ynet.
The volatile nature of the decision was not lost on the driver: “Obviously, everyone will start screaming ‘apartheid’ and ‘racism’ now. This really doesn’t feel right, and maybe (the ministry) should find a different solution, but the situation right now is impossible.

The creation of these new, Palestinian-only bus routes – and the intended segregation they represent – are surely evocative from an imagistic standpoint. In truth, though, they are simply a metallic reflection of the separate systems of justice and service that have existed for some time in the West Bank – systems that will continue until and unless the occupation ends.
Follow David Harris-Gershon on Twitter @David_EHG

0 thoughts on “Israel Launches 'Palestinian-Only' Bus Lines

  1. “Legally, however, there is no way to stop Palestinians from boarding “regular” lines: “We are not allowed to refuse service and we will not order anyone to get off the bus, but from what we were told, starting next week, there will be checks at the checkpoint, and Palestinians will be asked to board their own buses,” a driver with Afikim – the company that holds the routes franchise for the area – told Ynet.”
    was this lost to you?

  2. Given this line from the ministry was included twice in my article, the answer is an obvious “no,” sammy.
    However, it appears this is what was (intentionally) lost on you:
    “However, several bus drivers told Israel’s Ynet that Palestinians who choose to ride on the normative, “mixed” lines would now be asked to leave them and opt for the Palestinian-only lines, which have only been advertised in Palestinian villages via signs in Arabic.”
    And, the overall point:
    “The creation of these new, Palestinian-only bus routes – and the intended segregation they represent – are surely evocative from an imagistic standpoint. In truth, though, they are simply a metallic reflection of the separate systems of justice and service that have existed for some time in the West Bank – systems that will continue until and unless the occupation ends.”

      • Tim, do yo live in the region? If not, why would you go again the will of both sides? Jews and Arabs do not want to become one of your experiments. The Middle East already have one Lebanon

    • Sammy, How can your generalising (‘these 2 populations want to be separate’) help reduce the impact of this divisive regulation, even if Palestinians can make a choice to go on the buses or not be forced off? There are many on both sides who do not want segregation like this. Andrea

  3. I am still very amazed by the Israeli racist action defenders , of how they are always ready and willing to rationalize what is not logical in standard normal daily life, but when it comes to Israel and its made up and ever changing rules it becomes to them OK and almost very normal ! Why so much bias and hypocrisy? Can’t we have a standard set of laws and rules that apply to all, so we don’t have an exceptionalism type of attitude when it comes to Israel or Jews? And when that is not applied toward the Palestinians call for what it is?

    • I am always amazed how the ignorant jump om this issue
      1. The buses were meant to provide service to villages without having to enter other communities. This makes a trip quicker. I can take a bus to Moorestown, NJ, bypassing Camden,
      2. This does not mean that Palestinians are denied access to any bus they wish to travel.
      In the mean time, there was supposed to bee a marathon in Hama which appears to placed a ban of female participation. Being Palestinian, I guess they get a pass on this one.
      I think 100,00o have dies in Syria. While obsessing about AIPAC and alleged bus segregation, thousand are slaughtered everyday in Syria. The Tilkkunistas remain silent. Who is the racist here, the one explaining a misunderstood action or others who ignore genocide in the Arab world?

  4. For those of us who live in Israel the memory of suicide bombers boarding municipal buses, bringing about the deaths of innocent victims, is still fresh in our minds. If steps such as segregated bus lines are deemed necessary to guarantee the safety of Israeli citizens I’m in favor.

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