Multiple public bus drivers were assaulted on the job in Jerusalem earlier this week as violence against public transportation workers becomes more widespread. In one instance, teenagers had vandalized the door of a bus stopped at a station. When the driver approached to fix the door, one of the vandals punched him. He was taken to the hospital with a broken nose.
On the same day, a different bus driver had to be taken to the hospital after being attacked by a group of teenagers.
In response to the wave of violence, the Knesset’s National Security Committee met yesterday to discuss potential solutions. Uri Metuki, head of the public transportation division in the Histadrut’s transportation workers union, warned that inaction on the matter could result in a strike.
“The phenomenon has intensified in recent months and the Histadrut will not stand idly by,” Metuki said. “There are solutions, but they must move forward at a faster pace. If we do not see progress on the matter—we will be forced to stop public transportation in the country.”
He clarified that the Histadrut demands that attacks on bus drivers and public transportation inspectors be defined as assaults on public servants, with harsher criminal penalties, and that physical barriers be installed between bus drivers and passengers. That’s in addition to the implementation of a plan that’s already been approved and funded for the establishment of a security unit for buses within the Ministry of Transportation.
Zvika Fogel, who chairs the National Security Committee, described the phenomenon as “troubling.” “Bus drivers are attacked even while driving, which also endangers passengers,” he said. “We hear about recurring incidents—regular passengers on lines who repeatedly confront the drivers.”
One of the lawmakers who brought the discussion to the committee was Naama Lazimi of the Democrats. She warned that Israel is already short thousands of drivers. “If we want to rehabilitate and build this important sector, which reduces pollution and cars on the road and enables mobility even for those who cannot afford it, we must protect public transportation drivers, who testify that the violence against them is no less severe than the salary and conditions,” she said.
Fellow Democrat Gilad Kariv noted that a budget had already been allocated to address the issue and called for its implementation.
Lawmaker Ahmad Tibi, who also brought the discussion to the committee, pointed to a rise in racist assaults against Arab bus drivers, including an attack on two Arab drivers following the State Cup match by a group of Beitar fans.
“These incidents of violence are not being properly addressed,” Tibi said. “The police told me they ‘couldn’t identify them,’ even though I myself published photos of the attackers. That’s the reason these people feel free to attack and even film it and upload it to TikTok.”
Dan Shani of the Israel Police’s prosecution division also spoke at the committee. He said that attacks on bus drivers are already considered offenses against public servants. “The punishment we can request in the case of a series of offenses can reach up to four years in prison,” Shani said, noting that investigators are instructed to request the harshest prison sentences possible in cases of assaults on bus drivers, while also considering other aggravating circumstances such as humiliation, filming, group assault, cruelty, damage, or use of objects.
Deputy Director of the National Public Transport Authority David Yosef told the committee that the Transportation Ministry is working on a pilot program to increase driver safety, including mapping out locations with increased violence.
One of the advisers to the ministry on the pilot is Doron Turgeman, former commander of the Jerusalem District Police.
Turgeman cited comparative research showing that drivers around the world face violence. He noted that no Israeli body is responsible for handling incidences of violence against bus drivers.
According to Turgeman, the Ministry of Transportation is currently in discussions with the Ministry of National Security regarding the scope of authority that will be granted to the new security pilot’s inspectors, including detentions, requests for identification, and removal of passengers.
The program will include a mobile security system using motorcycles and will start with a pilot planned for implementation in the cities of Jerusalem, Beersheba, Haifa, Modi’in Illit, and Rahat. After six months to a year of the pilot, the program is set to be launched nationwide.
Turgeman added that the ministry intends to promote training for drivers in de-escalation of situations.
The committee chairman clarified that he intends to set another discussion on the subject and demanded that the entire plan be presented to the committee members.
