Bus Lines Introduced in Ramle’s Arab Neighborhoods

August 29, 2007

The 7,000 Arab residents of Ramle's Juarish and Gan Hakal neighborhoods can now travel by bus instead of walking long distances to reach their destinations. The introduction of the new bus lines follows an appeal to the Tel Aviv Administrative Court last year by flagship grantee Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and SHATIL's Mixed Cities Project, together with several local organizations.

The court accepted the petitioners claim that the Arab residents suffered unacceptable discrimination and ordered the Ministry of Transport, the Ramle Municipality and the Superbus company, which operates public transportation services in the city, to begin serving the neighborhoods. Bus lines began operating last week.

Previously, the nearest bus stop serving the neighborhoods was more than a kilometer away for some residents of Juarish and Gan Hakal. Some high school students were required to walk as far as two kilometers carrying their heavy books through the heat and humidity of the summer and the heavy rains of the winter.

"This victory has enormous significance for the disadvantaged residents of these neighborhoods who cannot afford their own car," explained Jamal Salame, Chairman of local action group A-Dar, which works for the improvement of public facilities for Arab residents of Ramle and worked closely with SHATIL on the issue. "This service is especially vital for the mobility of women, children and the elderly within the city who are no longer dependent on others when they want to move around."