Business Insider 3 Mar by Adam Taylor -- Israel's Transportation
Ministry has set up a number of bus lines for Palestinian passengers
traveling between the West Bank and central Israel, YNet News reports.
While the ministry claims that the buses are for all passengers, it
appears that only Palestinian villages have been told of their
existence, sparking serious claims of segregation. According to Ha'aretz,
any Palestinian who holds an entrance permit to the State of Israel is
legally allowed to use public transportation. However, the newspaper has
previously reported on a number of incidents in which Arab passengers
have been forced off of buses. YNet News
also spoke to several bus drivers, who claimed that under the new
rules, due to start Monday, Palestinian passengers will be asked to
leave the buses on mixed lines used by Jewish settlers. Officially, the
ministry claims the buses were only a result of crowding and tensions
between Arab passengers and Jewish passengers. However, one source told YNet that security threats were also a consideration. According to Ha'aretz, pressure from Jewish settlers was a factor in the Transportation Ministry's plan. Ha'aretz also reports
that the new lines are in part being created in a bid to stop so-called
"pirate" driving services that have sprung up to help Arab workers get
into central Israel. These services often charged high prices and will
presumably be put out of business by the new, cheaper lines. The news
has sparked considerable coverage in Arab media, with Al Arabiya asking if the area needed another "Rosa Parks moment" and comparing the situation to racial segregation in the U.S.
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