Metro transit reform advances as Bnei Brak loses clout and Beit Shemesh stays out

Israel’s biggest public transport overhaul in decades reached a critical stage this week in the Knesset Economic Committee, chaired by MK David Bitan. In a marathon session on Sunday, the committee approved, for second and third readings, the repeal of Naama Lazimi’s so called parking law, restoring private parking charges to a full first hour and then billing by quarter hours. The change will take effect four months after publication.

The larger metropolitan law, however, remains blocked over control of the new regional authorities. Bitan proposed a compromise for Gush Dan in which the head of the National Public Transport Authority, Idan Moalem, would run the metro area for 18 months, followed by Tel Aviv municipality representative Asaf Zamir for one year, after which elections would be held among all member municipalities. Tel Aviv said it was close to agreeing, but the Transport Ministry rejected the plan and demanded that Moalem manage the metros for the first three years straight. Bitan accused ministry officials of trying to bury the law.

The committee also finalized the metro maps. The Tel Aviv metro will include Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak, Holon, Ramat Gan, Bat Yam, Herzliya, Givatayim and Ramat HaSharon, with Rishon LeZion and Kiryat Ono set to join on 1 January 2029. Jerusalem’s metro will include Jerusalem, Abu Ghosh, Mateh Yehuda, Kiryat Yearim and Tzur Hadassah. Haifa’s metro, added after committee pressure, will include Haifa, Kiryat Yam, Kiryat Motzkin, Kiryat Bialik, Kiryat Ata, Tirat Carmel, Nesher, Rechasim and the Zevulun Regional Council.

For ultra-Orthodox cities, the reform creates difficult political math. Bnei Brak is expected to hold only about 13% of the vote in Gush Dan, meaning decisions on routes and infrastructure could be made by surrounding secular cities. Beit Shemesh managed to stay entirely outside the law after failing to force Jerusalem below 50% of the vote, and Mevaseret Zion was also exempted at the last minute, replaced by Tzur Hadassah. Mevaseret council head Yoram Shimon warned that if Jerusalem controls more than 90% of the votes, “there is no way to stand up to it in decision-making.”

Despite the transfer of authority, the state will keep strong oversight. The national authority head will set binding service, planning and infrastructure standards after hearing from local authorities, and the national authority will closely supervise the metros. Its budget will appear in a separate line in the state budget under the Transport Minister. The full law is expected to take effect about six months after final approval and publication, while the parking provision will begin four months after publication. Committee discussions will continue in the coming days to resolve the remaining Gush Dan dispute.