Miri Regev's Major Transport Promises Largely Unfulfilled as Term Ends

Since taking office as Israel's Minister of Transportation in January 2023, Miri Regev announced ambitious plans to overhaul the country's transportation system, reduce travel times, lower living costs, and improve public service. However, as her term nears its end, many key initiatives remain in planning stages or have not materialized.

One flagship project, the "Connecting Israel" national rail network, which includes a high-speed train from Kiryat Shmona to Eilat at 250 km/h and is estimated to cost around 120 billion shekels, has yet to secure full funding and remains in early planning. Similarly, the "Peace Railway" intended to link the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Haifa port has stalled due to regional changes and lack of progress in talks with Saudi Arabia, now advancing without Israeli participation.

Efforts to reduce living costs, such as introducing Uber services in Israel and establishing Wizz Air operations at Ben Gurion Airport, have not come to fruition. Proposed easing of vehicle licensing tests from annual to biennial for new cars faced opposition and was not implemented. Public transport reforms included the "Transport Justice" plan, offering discounts to peripheral residents and other groups, but fares rose from 5.5 to 8 shekels during her tenure, and the driver shortage remains unresolved.

Road safety initiatives also fell short; despite promises to combat accidents, road fatalities increased, and a proposed 10,000-shekel fine for phone use while driving was not enacted. On the positive side, Regev advanced infrastructure investments in Judea and Samaria, allocating about 25% of road development budgets to the area. The Transportation Ministry stated that an unprecedented volume of projects is underway, including railways, roads, and public transit, noting many are long-term and extend beyond a single term.