Bus Driver Attacked in Afula Amidst Racist Slurs

A Superbus company bus driver was assaulted in Afula on Sunday evening by a passenger who spat on him, punched him in the neck, and threatened to kill him, according to the Koach LaOvdim transportation union. During the attack, the passenger allegedly shouted, "Terrorist Arab. I need to kill you." The union reported that police apprehended the assailant and took him for questioning. The incident occurred on route 247, operated by a minibus. The passenger boarded the vehicle and sat behind the driver. As the driver began his route, the passenger spat on him, cursed him, and struck him. The driver stopped the bus and called the police. The passenger then attempted to flee, damaging the ticketing machine and the bus door in his escape. After exiting the vehicle, he allegedly threatened the driver again. Koach LaOvdim claims the attacker is known to police for repeated assaults on drivers and had attacked the same driver just two weeks prior. "I'm just doing my job," the driver, identified as N., stated, recalling the previous incident where the same passenger spat on him. He added that other drivers also know the passenger and have reported similar encounters. "It's impossible that he endangers me and the passengers," the driver continued, expressing relief that the attacker did not use tear gas he carried. Itay Cohen, head of the transportation branch at Koach LaOvdim, called for the deployment of a mounted security unit in Afula, stating, "The identity of the attackers and the attack sites in the city are known. We call on the Ministry of Transportation to act decisively against violence and cooperate with us in expanding the security project. The writing is on the wall." The union emphasized that "the lives of drivers in Afula will not be abandoned."