Jerusalem light rail operator could be ousted over breakdowns

Following repeated breakdowns on the Jerusalem light rail, Ministry of Transport director general Moshe Ben-Zaken opened urgent discussions about replacing the operator Kfir.

Ben -Zaken’s initiative comes after the train halted services three times earlier this week and made all passengers leave carriages. On Sunday, passengers were disembarked in the Beit Hanina neighborhood and were forced to walk 20 minutes to reach public transport bus lines.

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About a month ago, Kfir was summoned to a meeting with Ben-Zaken and handed a warning about the need to change its conduct, otherwise the Ministry of Transport would work to replace it. Kfir was also asked to establish a team that would formulate conclusions within 90 days.

But this week has seen the situation deteriorate, and Ben-Zaken is convening internal discussions in order to discuss the options open to the ministry. Sources familiar with the details noted that the ministry is already fed up with issuing fines and hearings – which, they say, do not solve the problems.

Kfir company began operating the Red Line in Jerusalem in 2021, replacing the CityPass. Now, it seems that Ben-Zaken has lost patience with Kfir, and the Ministry of Transport will have to find a new operator.

Kfir said, “Today’s disruptions were caused by the fall of an external lighting pole onto the train’s power cables, as a result of a vehicle hitting the same pole. The lighting pole is not the responsibility of the operator, and after the incident occurred, the operator acted immediately to prevent a safety hazard, repaired the damage to the electrical system and gradually restored service to passengers. Now that the repair is complete, the line is back in full operation.”

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on June 24, 2026.

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