Israeli Transport Ministry Warns Coalition to Advance Metropolitan Authorities Law or Traffic Jams Will Worsen

Moshe Ben Zaken, Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Transport, and Ali Bing, Deputy Budget Supervisor at the Ministry of Finance, issued an unusual warning letter to coalition chairman Ofir Katz. They urged him to immediately return the "Metropolitan Authorities Law" to the Knesset's plenary agenda. The officials cautioned that failure to advance this legislation would severely and persistently harm the quality of life for Israeli citizens, who would continue to endure worsening traffic congestion without a viable public transportation alternative.

According to data presented by Ben Zaken and Bing, the economic cost of traffic congestion on Israel's roads is estimated at approximately 40 billion shekels annually and is expected to increase further. They emphasized that the only solution to this crisis is a substantial shift from private car use to efficient public transportation systems. The letter underscores the urgency of legislative action to address the growing transportation challenges facing the country.