Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev Faces Mixed Results After Turbulent Term
Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev is concluding a tumultuous term marked by ambitious promises and limited achievements. Entering office in January 2023, Regev pledged transformative projects including a nationwide high-speed rail network, significant reductions in bureaucracy for drivers, and measures to combat the high cost of living.
Her flagship initiative, the "Connecting Israel" plan unveiled in July 2023 alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, proposed a 120 billion shekel national rail network featuring bullet trains traveling at 250 km/h from Kiryat Shmona in the north to Eilat in the south. However, three years later, the project remains in early planning stages without secured funding, and economic constraints following the Iron Swords conflict have cast doubt on its feasibility. Additionally, the required infrastructure and technology for such speeds do not currently exist in Israel. Regev’s insistence on advancing this project delayed the start of the Tel Aviv metropolitan subway, which is now finally progressing despite her initial opposition.
Regev also promoted the "Peace Railway" vision to connect Israel by rail with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Haifa port, traveling abroad to advance the plan. Yet regional political developments, including Israel’s refusal to accept the Saudi normalization framework, have sidelined Israel from the project, with Arab partners considering alternative routes through Syria or Turkey.
Efforts to reduce living costs included promises to introduce Uber and establish a permanent base for low-cost airline Wizz Air at Ben Gurion Airport. Neither materialized due to political opposition from taxi drivers and ongoing security-related flight suspensions. Regev also proposed extending vehicle test intervals for new cars, but faced resistance from licensing and repair sectors and withdrew the plan.
Road safety worsened during her tenure, with a sharp rise in traffic fatalities. Regev proposed steep fines and immediate vehicle confiscation for traffic violations, but legal concerns halted these measures. She did secure harsher penalties for life-threatening offenses and a one-year budget for the National Road Safety Authority.
Public transport fares increased significantly despite Regev’s pledge to cancel the previous government’s "Equal Way" reform and reduce prices, especially in peripheral areas. Her "Transport Justice" reform offered discounts for peripheral residents, seniors, and discharged soldiers, but most users faced fare hikes due to inflation adjustments. Chronic driver shortages persist, causing cancellations and delays, with attempts to recruit foreign workers facing obstacles.
Regev shifted focus to infrastructure in the West Bank, redirecting 25% of Israel’s road development budget to the region, accelerating projects like bypass roads and traffic expansions. On airport development, she reversed earlier positions but secured government approval in February 2026 for advancing two new airports, Ramat David and Tze'elim.
A major reform to decentralize public transport management to metropolitan authorities stalled under pressure from ultra-Orthodox parties, delaying a vote in the Knesset despite opposition support.
In response, Regev highlighted unprecedented transport projects underway, including rail expansions, highway upgrades, and light rail openings, emphasizing management during wartime and restoration of airline services. She acknowledged the long timelines for rail projects and the impact of regional conflict on international initiatives, while affirming ongoing legislative efforts on Uber and metropolitan transport authorities.
