Superbus Bus Lines in Jerusalem to Halt for One Hour in Protest Over Driver Assault
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
Superbus bus lines in Jerusalem will strike for one hour on August 5 to protest the violent assault on driver Moathasem Kak. The Labor Court rejected Superbus's request to block the strike. The union demands better security measures, while Superbus condemns the violence and calls for police action to catch the attackers.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Superbus bus lines in Jerusalem will strike for one hour on August 5 to protest an assault on a driver.
- Driver Moathasem Kak was attacked by youths, suffering broken teeth and facial injuries.
- No suspects have been arrested yet for the attack on the driver.
- Superbus employees say only three motorcycle security guards protect them under a Ministry of Transport pilot.
- The Jerusalem Labor Court rejected Superbus's request to prevent the strike.
- Superbus condemns violence but opposes service disruption and calls for police to find the attackers.
The Transport Workers Union affiliated with Koach LaOvdim will strike Superbus bus lines in the Jerusalem cluster tomorrow, August 5, from 14:00 to 15:00. The strike protests the violent attack on driver Moathasem Kak last Saturday night, when a group of youths assaulted him, breaking four of his teeth and causing facial injuries. No suspects have been arrested yet. Superbus employees say their only protection consists of three motorcycle security guards patrolling the city as part of a Ministry of Transport security pilot program.
Superbus management petitioned the Jerusalem Labor Court to issue an injunction against the strike, but the court rejected the request. The union clarified that minibus lines to the Old City, which already struck last Sunday, will not be halted tomorrow. Itai Cohen, head of the transport sector at Koach LaOvdim, stated that the court recognized the workers' legitimate right to protest for their safety. He criticized the company for avoiding dialogue with the union after such a serious incident and called the current security measures inadequate.
Superbus responded by expressing regret over the court's decision and the expected disruption to passengers in Jerusalem. The company emphasized that driver and employee safety is a top priority and condemned all violence against staff. However, Superbus believes service disruption is not the right solution and pledged to continue cooperating with authorities. They also urged the Israeli police to intensify efforts to apprehend the attackers to protect employees and passengers and prevent future incidents.
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