Israel Advances 50-Kilometer Menashe Rail Line Connecting Harish and Surrounding Areas

The National Planning and Building Council approved the deposit of the "Menashe Railways" plan on Tuesday, which will establish a new 50-kilometer double-track railway line connecting the city of Harish, the Baka-Jatt area, Menashe and Alona settlements, and Emek Hefer to Israel's national rail network for the first time. The plan, promoted by the Ministry of Transport through Netivei Israel, replaces the previously proposed Wadi Ara railway line along Highway 65, which was halted due to budget reallocations favoring Jewish localities.

The Menashe railway will run alongside Highway 6, linking in the south to the Eastern Railway and in the north to the Jezreel Valley line, Haifa, and the planned Galilee line extending to Tiberias. The project includes upgrading Highways 574 and 581 and completing the regional longitudinal corridor 444 between Bat Hefer, Harish, and Highway 65. Three new train stations will be built in Bat Hefer, Baka al-Gharbiyye, and Harish, providing residents with direct and faster access to the national rail system and improving connectivity to employment and commercial centers.

The plan faced significant debate over the railway's route, with alternatives including a western path distant from Harish and an eastern tunnel crossing the city, both criticized for environmental and community impact. Ultimately, a third option was chosen, aligning the railway close to Highway 6 to minimize environmental disruption while allowing a station near Harish. About one-third of the railway will be tunneled, including beneath the Megiddo biosphere reserve, to protect open spaces, streambeds, and unique natural values.

Rafi Almaliah, CEO of the Planning Administration, emphasized the project's importance: "The deposit of the Menashe Railways plan is a decisive step in realizing the national vision to strengthen the periphery and connect it to the center. This vital transportation artery will reduce road congestion, shift freight from trucks to rail, and provide fast, efficient, and safe access for local residents to all parts of the country."

The Ministry of Transport explained that the Wadi Ara railway plan was dropped because it required extensive tunneling, land expropriations, and harmed local communities, while local travel demand is mostly regional rather than intercity. Instead, a northern alternative, the Menashe railway, was advanced, alongside plans for a mass transit system along Highway 65 to better serve Wadi Ara communities. However, despite initial government approval and a preliminary budget of about 500 million shekels, funds were redirected to infrastructure in Jewish localities, delaying the mass transit project.