Jerusalem: about 100 bus drivers stopped working

The Labor, Welfare and Health Committee held today (Tuesday) a special session to discuss the escalating violence against Jewish and Arab drivers of public transportation in conflict areas (especially Jerusalem) recently.

During the discussion, the Commissioner of Transportation Union in the Histadrut, Roy Blitental, said that for two weeks, since the Egged bus driver Yusuf al Ramony was found dead in Jerusalem, 60 drivers of public transport in the area have disappeared and one can not make contact with them. Another 40 have resigned from their posts. "They prefer not to work, the main thing is not to go back to the steering wheel because of harm to their personal security," said Blitental.

Egged driver, Omar Ibn Saman: "Last week a soldier refused to present his certificate. He said: 'I'll tear you up, we'll meet again. I called the police and they told me there was nothing to do."

A bus driver and member of 'Power for Workers', Yaniv Za'afrani: "They throw stones and cans at us, especially in Wadi Joz and Issawiya. Not all buses are armored and the driver can lose control. It could end in disaster."

Afikim driver, Anuwar Tawil: "In Bnei Brak they blocked my way with a stroller and refused to move. If I had touched the stroller they would say an Arab driver harmed the baby. In another case two passengers refused to pay and told me, 'you little Arab spam, we'll sew your face up'. I called the police and it did not come. In another case, a passenger refused to pay for a girl who was with her and she told me, 'You're a piece of Arab maniac, worse than Hamas in Gaza. "I turned to my manager and he refused to complain, he told me that one needs patience. The company also forbids us to use safety cameras on buses so as not to hurt the religious passengers' privacy."

Chairman of the Egged Transport Worker's Committee, Yitzchak Kashkash, noted that in a number of cases drivers were injured by blocks and vulnerability of drivers, both Jews and Arabs, has intensified since Operation Solid Rock.

Director of Security Department in the Ministry of Transport, Daniel Shner: "No company has raised the problem before me, not even by a note. This is the first time I hear about it. The Ministry of Transport is not responsible for handling public disturbances. However, we have initiated the establishment of a security unit, but public transport companies refused to participate in its funding, which stands at 80 million a year."

Head of public bodies in the Israel Police, Chief Superintendent Offer Yitzchak: "Bus companies are not guided by the police. We mainly handle the train and tram. However, we operate undercover policemen on buses and give drivers the authority to detain a passenger, ask him to identify and remove him from the vehicle. We know of only one case of harassment against a driver last month."

MK Ahmed Tibi: "If Jewish drivers would approach you with similar cases to those we have heard, even then would you not arrive, or would we soon see four police cars, a handcuffed passenger and a press release on an attack prevented? There is a double standard."

Acting Committee Chairman MK Mickey Rosenthal, summarized the discussion and said, "We at the mouth of a volcano and we have to collect ourselves before a severe disaster will happen here. The Ministry of Transport has the responsibility, together with the police and the Center for Local Government, to formulate solutions for the worrying problem, be it through regulations for stricter penalties, or technological means such as separating the driver and passengers and panic buttons, and report it to the Commission within 3 months".

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!